1 Dead, 3 Missing
by Kiyoshi'sGirl64
Summary: Kuwabara dies on a mission and the rest of the team disappears. 153 years later, they are still missing and Koenma hires a new team. On their first mission they make an unbievable discovery-which then leads them to the fight of and for their lives.
1. Prologue

I own none of the characters in the prologue. Birthdays were completely made up.

BTW, this is my twentieth fanfic. That seems like a lot doesn't it? But considering 6 of them are oneshots, and 6 others (one of which isn't finished yet) have ten chapters or less, it isn't really that much for me. Well, I've been excited about this story for a while now, so here goes.

Oh, and please don't ask me to explain the Report IDs. It makes sense to me, but I already tried explaining it to one of my friends (in person, mind you) and I couldn't figure out how to explain it properly. There is NO WAY I'd be able to figure out how to write it down in a way that makes sense.

* * *

Report ID: zxn4297784yqmt  
Filed by: King Enma Jr.  
Time: 11:47 p.m.  
Date: October 7, 2010

Report Summary: Reikai Tentai mission. One dead, three missing.

Notes: I am not even going to bother trying to write this report without bias or emotion. This includes not using their surnames over their personal names. I am going to call them by the names they were addressed as by myself. I have just lost four of my most important employees, who I also considered friends. Perhaps it would be best if I had someone else write this report. Oh well, too late now.

I sent them on what should have been a simple mission: An upper D-class demon was wreaking havoc on several cities. Their mission was to find and either capture or kill him. However, he managed to escape back into Makai through a natural hole between the two realms. They followed, Kuwabara using his dimensional sword to cut through the force field after Yusuke opened the portal.

Following him, they had to pass through the territory of an A-class demon, bordering on S-class. Why did I ever give them this mission in the first place? Or at least tell them that if he somehow escaped into Makai to drop the chase?

However, they were surrounded by lower A-class demons the more powerful one had forced into submission. He had sent them as soon as he detected two A-class demon auras, as well as a strange but incredibly powerful demonic aura traveling across his lands. The demon they were chasing went unnoticed due to his lower aura level.

Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei could have easily taken out their opponents. However, not even the strongest human could match a class A demon. When Kuwabara got involved he was killed quickly, in the short span of time the others were occupied by the other class A demons surrounding them.

As soon as the demons were killed, they gathered Kuwabara's body and returned it to the human world and his family. They visited those close to them. Then they disappeared.

This account was given to me by Kuwabara as he passed through Reikai just moments after his death.

* * *

Report ID: zxn4297784yqmu  
Filed by: King Enma Jr.  
Time: 12:06 a.m.  
Date: October 8, 2010

Report Summary: Official Reikai Death Certificate of Kuwabara Kazuma.

Notes:

Name: Kuwabara Kazuma  
Age: 23 years, 11 months, 1day  
Position: Member of the Reikai Tentai  
Date of Birth: November 6, 1986  
Date of Death: October 7, 2010  
Time of Death: 8:39 p.m.  
Cause of Death: A-class demon attacked from behind; exact attack is unknown.

* * *

Report ID: zxn4297784yqmv  
Filed by: King Enma Jr.  
Time: 12:19 a.m.  
Date: October 8, 2010

Report Summary: Official Reikai Missing Person Report of Urameshi Yusuke.

Notes:

Name: Urameshi Yusuke  
Position: Underworld Detective, leader of the Reikai Tentai  
Date of Birth: April 18, 1986  
Age: 24 years, 5 months, 19 days  
Last Seen: October 7, 2010 at around 9:30 p.m.  
By/With: Yukimura Keiko and Urameshi Atsuko  
Description: Male, dark hair, approximately 175 cm . Demon throwback, classification S. Possibly accompanied by an underworld beastthat goes by the name of Pu, as well as missing persons Yoko Kurama and Jaganshi Hiei.

* * *

Report ID: zxn4297784yqmw  
Filed by: King Enma Jr.  
Time: 12:31 a.m.  
Date: October 8, 2010

Report Summary: Official Reikai Missing Person Report of Yoko Kurama.

Notes:

Name: Yoko Kurama  
Position: Member of the Reikai Tentai  
Date of Birth: Unknown; presumed to be approximately the year 1000 A.D.  
Age: Unknown; approximately 1010 years  
Last Seen: October 7, 2010 at around 9:30 p.m.  
By/With: Minamino Shiori  
Description: Male, shape shifter, most likely to be seen in his true form (fox demon with silver ears, tail, and long hair; approximately 185 cm)or his chosen human form (a redhead known as Minamino Shuichi;approximately 170 cm). Demon, classification A. Possiblyaccompanied by missing persons Jaganshi Hiei and UrameshiYusuke.

* * *

Report ID: zxn4297784yqmx  
Filed by: King Enma Jr.  
Time: 12:45 a.m.  
Date: October 8, 2010

Report Summary: Official Reikai Missing Person Report of Jaganshi Hiei.

Notes:

Name: Jaganshi Hiei  
Position: Member of Reikai Tentai  
Date of Birth: Unknown; presumed to be approximately 1770 A.D.  
Age: Unknown; approximately 240 years  
Last Seen: October 7, 2010 at around 9:30 p.m.  
By/With: Ice Maiden Yukina  
Description: Male, spiked black hair, approximately 150 cm. Demon,classification A. Wields both the Jagan Eye and the Black Dragon;prophesied 'Forbidden One' as the only male ever born to an Ice Maiden. Possibly with missing persons Urameshi Yusuke andYoko Kurama.


	2. Chapter One

I own Takeshi, Akiko, Kasumi, and Kiyoshi, but none of the other characters mentioned. Thanks to the people who added this story to their favorites/story alert lists!

* * *

The year is 2163, 153 years after King Enma Jr. filed the death certificate of Kuwabara Kazuma and the missing person reports of Urameshi Yusuke, Yoko Kurama, and Jaganshi Hiei. Neither Yusuke nor Kurama nor Hiei has been seen since, although they are all presumed to still be alive.

* * *

"Botan!" Koenma called his now-senior ferry-girl to his desk. "Have you found information on the four teenagers yet?"

"Yes. Not much, but enough for you to determine whether or not they are really the four you want or not."

She then pulled four slips of paper out of the stack she was holding. He thanked her and began reading them.

The first was impressive. He read, _Takeshi, male, 14 years old. Maintains fair grades, except in attendance. Astounding sixth sense proven to have been passed down through eight generations (human)._

The next was slightly more interesting. _Akiko, female, 19 years old. Already a skilled defensive Ice Master, in charge of a section of the northern Ice Maiden tribe's overall defense network (demon)._

The third sparked his interest more than either of the first two. _Kasumi, female, 16 years old. Extremely intelligent, but doesn't care for school; often suspended for attendance, breaking dress codes, and fighting on school property. Has already obtained a powerful aura, as training in that area has been important in the family for eight generations (human)._

The last read, _Kiyoshi, male, 15 years old. Maintains perfect grades and attendance. Slight sixth sense thought to originate from an eight-generations-back grandmother's continued exposure to a demonic aura (human)._

Although all the profiles were exactly what Koenma wished to find for his new team—a mix of good fighters, intelligence, and reasoning—it still filled him with pain. One reason for this was the fact that he still hadn't truly recovered from the sudden loss of his previous team. Especially reading the third, which was forcefully reminiscent of Yusuke, his team leader and underworld detective one and a half centuries ago.

"Well, Master Koenma?" Botan asked, breaking through his reverie.

"These four are perfect for the job, thank you Botan. I wish to meet with them. Arrange meetings with them over four consecutive days. I wish to meet Takeshi first, then Kiyoshi, then Akiko, and finally Kasumi."

"Yes, sir." Botan replied, before running off to do as she had been asked. She just hoped that nothing would happen to these four kids. She had been upset when she was escorting Kuwabara to the underworld, where she had discovered that the other three had gone missing. But her grief had been nothing compared to Koenma's. He had blamed himself. In fact, he _still_ blamed himself. For several weeks after the team's last mission he hadn't done anything. In the years since then, it had seemed as if he was running on autopilot, not really focusing on what he was doing. The selection of a new team was the first indication that he was finally beginning to recover.

She had soon worked out the meeting times and places. She had visited the human realm pretending to be a scout of whatever would draw them in. All four of them took the bait.

* * *

"You're not the king of the underworld, kid. Sorry to disappoint your crazy hallucination." That was Takeshi's first reaction.

Koenma just rolled his eyes and pulled out his communication device. "Botan, I need some proof for this kid. Come immediately and don't bother to hide your sudden appearance." A short second later, Botan appeared, riding her oar. Takeshi jumped out of his seat away from the ferry-girl.

"You lied to me." He accused her.

"Well if I had told you the truth about who I was, you wouldn't have wanted anything to do with me. I'm a ferry-girl; I transport the souls of the dead across the river Styx." She smiled sweetly at him.

"Fine. Fine. I accept that you're the king of the underworld. What do you want with _me_?"

"I want you to join a team commonly referred to as the Reikai Tentai. You fight people—mainly demons—who are endangering the safety of the human realm. You would be ideal. Your sixth sense would be incredibly useful. And your lineage in the area of spiritual and demonic confrontation is perfect."

"Fine. But only if I don't have to tell my mother."

"What you tell or don't tell your mother is entirely up to you." Koenma promised.

* * *

To say Kiyoshi was intelligent would have been a dramatic understatement. The boy missed nothing. Despite the fact that Takeshi's sixth sense was stronger, Kiyoshi was the one who noticed how strange Koenma's aura felt. "I believe you. You don't seem very old, however."

"I went over this with Yusu—one of the members of my last team." Speaking of them was still difficult for Koenma. "And, as I told him, I'm fifty times your age, if I'm a day. I was fifty or more times older than you a hundred and fifty years ago."

"Whatever." Kiyoshi shrugged. "Although I'm sure the only thing I can bring to this spirit fighting team of yours is a sixth sense. And not even a very strong one."

"I don't want you for your sixth sense. I already hired someone stronger in that area than you. Although you do seem to listen to it more than he does. But the reason I want you to join is your intelligence. Most of the time, fighters—even intelligent ones—have a tendency to act rashly. But you are logical, intelligent, and use reasoning before deciding on the best course of action. You might be required to fight some, however. You will be trained in areas including basic aura control and martial arts before you are sent on your first mission."

"I'll think about it. Do you have some way I can contact you tomorrow?"

Koenma handed him one of the communicators. The same device he had used with Yusuke so long ago. "Just open it and hit the button on the left side. It will put you in immediate contact with me."

"Thank you."

The next day, Koenma received a call saying that Kiyoshi had decided to work for him.

* * *

Koenma's meeting with Akiko was the easiest as far as convincing her who he was went. She sat down and immediately said, "You're not an Ice Master here to help me improve my skills. Why did you have the ferry-girl lie to me, Master Koenma?"

"I feared you wouldn't even talk with me if I didn't lie."

"You were correct."

"Have you heard of the Reikai Tentai?"

"Indeed. My ancestors include a person closely connect with one of the members of the original team. And I do not wish to risk my life."

"It will provide and opportunity for you to increase your abilities."

She glared at him for a moment. "Fine. But understand this—as soon as I feel the risks outweigh the benefits or that I can no longer improve by being in the group, I will be allowed to leave and never return."

He paused before deciding this was the best offer he would get from this headstrong Ice Maiden and Ice Master. "Deal."

* * *

He had had minor problems convincing the first three to work for him. The real problem, however, came with Kasumi.

She believed him immediately and quickly agreed to work for him, although she kept her motives hidden. It was unnerving how quickly she was convinced, especially after all the arguing involved with persuading the others.

Having created a team, Koenma leaned back in his chair and muttered, "Thank goodness. Three humans and a demon on the team. Last time, those numbers were reversed. And, because hindsight is always twenty-twenty, I know how well _that_ went."

She looked at him a moment after he said this before asking, "What's with the pacifier?" When he didn't answer she said, "There is a reason that for seven generations the members of my family have all pushed and pushed they're aura levels."

Intrigued, he said, "What might that be?"

"You don't know?" she asked scornfully. His silence was enough of an answer and she continued, "My great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather was a demon. Since then we have pushed ourselves to see how far we must go before our demonic energy kicks in. So far no one has been successful."

Without thinking Koenma blurted out, "The person must die prematurely and already possess great power. They would then come back as a demon, only minutes later."

She looked interested. "So death is the key." She sounded amazed. "I can't believe no one thought of that. And your three to one ration could go to two to two pretty easily. You've probably already figured this one out, but, just for the record, I'm a throwback."


	3. Chapter Two

Again, I only own Kasumi, Kiyoshi, Takeshi, and Akiko. I do know it's pretty long, and a lot of description. But who my four characters are is a bit complicated. I figured it would just be easier to say it outright than to try and give enough clues about it to have you all figure it out on your own. Thanks.

Since I haven't been able to figure out a place to include a physical description of my four main characters in the actual story, here they are.

Kasumi: five foot four, dark hair that almost reaches her waist, medium brown eyes, 16

Kiyoshi: five foot seven, short black hair, dark green eyes, 15

Takeshi: five foot five, dark brown hair reaching a little past his chin, pale brown eyes, 14

Akiko: four foot nine, pale blonde hair, very light blue eyes, 19

And this chapter is dedicated to kurama1sauske1 for their quick review. :)

* * *

"A throwback." Koenma echoed Kasumi. Only seconds later her put all the pieces of the puzzle together, understanding the full implications of the statement the girl had made. Eight generations ago, one of Kasumi's grandmothers never married. Because she was in love with one of the missing members of the team. And eight generations ago was when this particular throwback line had been created. And that line knew the basic idea of releasing the demonic side. Another thing was her eagerness to join and how quickly she believed what he told her. And her lack of questions. That could only mean one thing. "The grandfather you mentioned, the demon, was he…?"

When he trailed off, she just looked at him stoically, and he understood that she was going to force him to say it aloud. "Was the demon a demon throwback like yourself? And did he go by the name of Yusuke?"

She clapped slowly and loudly, acknowledging that he was correct. "Congratulations. You figured it out. My grandmother Keiko never stopped loving him; he never stopped loving her, either. He'd come and visit her every few years. And her diary—a family heirloom, now—starts with the night he revealed everything to her. The night he went missing."

Koenma was in shock. How did she know so _much_? And how had this escaped not only him, but everyone else in the underworld? How had Keiko kept that secret from him the many times he had questioned her throughout her life? Just as he opened his mouth to ask, she answered his unspoken question. "We don't know where he went; where he was then or where he is now. He never told her. She understood. But he still felt guilty. One time he visited, he felt bad enough about leaving her alone, that he told her he and Kurama and Hiei were still traveling together. That's all the diary revealed. That and the fact that she lived for his visits, she loved him so much. The last thing in the diary is a note she wrote to her daughter just before she died. It said that the man, Yusuke, who visited every couple of years was her father. Her daughter met with Yusuke at the funeral. He continued his visits for the rest of his daughter's life, teaching her aura-building techniques and other weapons, that even humans could use, which were then passed down through the generations. Those and the story of his transformation. Finally reaching me." And from under the she pulled an index finger that was silently glowing. Koenma leaned forward slowly, and rested his forehead on the edge of the table. _Not again_, he thought.

* * *

Six days later he met with the entire group. They ignored each other so intently, it couldn't have been an accident, and they waited for him to speak. Botan stood nearby holding what looked like three makeup mirrors. Koenma said, "I believe you have all met Botan?" They nodded and she handed each of them one of the devices, except Kiyoshi, because he already had one.

"Press the button on the left to contact Koenma, the one on the right to contact me. Always try the right first, unless it's an emergency." She said. Then Koenma took over.

"Okay. Your first mission…"

"Wait." Kiyoshi said, sounding panicked. "What about the training?"

Koenma just smiled, "Your first assignment is to travel to this temple, where your training will then take place." He showed them a picture and handed a map to the nearest, which happened to be Takeshi.

"I bet I'll get there first," Takeshi muttered.

"Here's the catch: you must all work together." Audible groans issued from the teenagers in front of him, but he ignored them. "Botan and I will be there when you arrive, along with the master of the temple. Go." And with that, he and Botan disappeared.

* * *

As soon as they were gone, Kasumi spun around and before Takeshi knew what was happening he was knocked to the ground by the force of the collision of Kasumi's fist with his face.

He looked up at her from the ground, bewildered. "That was for the last time we were both at school and you told the principle I was smoking on the roof." She leaned down and whispered threateningly in his ear, "Next time you get me suspended, it'll end up getting you something more than a relatively painless punch in the mouth."

Kiyoshi's mouth dropped open. Akiko merely stood to the side, looking bored. Kasumi stood back up and said, "Okay, let's get this show on the road. Literally." She grabbed the map off the ground from where Takeshi had dropped it. She saw the place Koenma had circled in red ink, and started off.

Jumping up, Takeshi said, "Where are you going? We're supposed to work together."

She stopped and turned around. Looking calmly at Takeshi she said in a voice so quiet it was threatening, "Oh, but Takeshi. I thought we were working together." Her eyes flashed violently and her hand curled silently into a fist.

Takeshi glanced at it, glared, and then followed Kasumi when she turned around. Kiyoshi had already decided it was best just to do what Kasumi wanted unless it was downright dangerous or stupid. Akiko just chuckled, muttering to herself, "I like this girl already." She then followed the other three to wherever it was that Kasumi was leading them.

* * *

Little did they know, Koenma and Botan were watching them. They followed the small group to a bus stop, and onto the bus, each person paying there own fare.

Half an hour later, they got off. Kasumi and Akiko set off in the direction the needed to go, mindful of only one thing: reaching the temple as quickly as possible. Takeshi and Kiyoshi followed.

A shrill beeping suddenly burst forth from Kiyoshi's pocket. He pulled out the device Koenma had given him and flipped it open. Koenma stared back at him from the small screen. "How's it going, Kiyoshi?"

"Fine. Well, not really. Takeshi and Kasumi already hate each other."

"Why isn't this surprising?" Koenma muttered, more to himself than to the fifteen year old he was talking with. "I suppose blood runs even thicker than I thought. I thought that after a hundred and fifty years and eight generations this feud would have disappeared. Although, when I talked to him, he wasn't upset about dying as much as he was upset about never defeating Yusuke in a fair fight. I guess that desire was passed down unknowingly, until it finally reached Takeshi and Kasumi."

Kiyoshi just listened, understanding intuitively that this could be the first clue as to why Koenma had chosen the four of _them_ over all the other spiritually gifted people in the world. Suddenly, the communicated flashed off, so he shut it and stuck it back in his pocket.

Dragging Takeshi by the sleeve of his jacket, Kiyoshi walked up to Kasumi and Akiko and said, "Do any of you three know something about a man named Yusuke? I think he was a member of the Reikai Tentai Koenma created about a hundred and fifty years ago."

Upon hearing Yusuke's name, Kasumi stopped dead in her tracks. "Yusuke was one of my ancestors. The other three members were Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei."

"If you're the one who's related to Yusuke, then Takeshi must be related to another member of the team. One who apparently died without fulfilling his long-lived wish of beating Yusuke in a fair fight."

Kasumi groaned. "Kuwabara." She spun and faced Takeshi. "Is there a Kazuma Kuwabara in your family?"

He nodded. And she smacked her hand to her forehead. "Wonderful. Descendants of the old team. Just spiffy. That's how he picked us. That makes me feel just wonderful. I'm not picked for my abilities, but for my lineage."

"Koenma did mention something about that when I met with him." Takeshi said.

"So who are you two?" Kasumi asked, suddenly addressing the other two members.

Akiko replied quietly, "Hiei was one of my grandmother's twin brother. He told her this—he had kept it hidden from her, thinking that to be what was best—just hours before he disappeared."

Kasumi looked at Kiyoshi. "That means you're from Kurama's line. Which means you must be a throwback like me."

"A throwback?"

After a moment's silence she said, "Then again… Kurama never fell in love. At least not with a human. But if not Kurama, then who?"

"The only thing I could connect this to would that be one of my grandmothers—seven or eight generations back, of course—had a son who went missing. That would have happened around the time Koenma's last team went missing. Could that have been Kurama?"

Everyone just stared at him. He obviously hadn't any idea who he was talking about, and yet the circumstances of Kurama and this missing son fit together perfectly. They were stunned simply by his logic. Finally, Akiko said, "Kurama inhabited a human body for sixteen years, after which he went missing. It's entirely possible that they are the same person. The person Kurama considered to be his mother was an entirely human woman by the name of Shiori Minamino. Does that name ring any bells? And if it does, did she have another son after he disappeared?"

"I think so." Kiyoshi muttered. But before he could ask another question, Takeshi interrupted.

"Whoa." After hiking up a mountain through fairly dense vegetation, they had found the temple. And it was bigger than they had thought it would be. In fact, it was absolutely massive. "This must be the place," Takeshi said weakly.

"Thanks for the obvious," Kasumi replied.

Botan and Koenma came out the doors, having somehow arrived before them. Behind them was a woman older than anyone they'd ever seen before. Anyone human, at least. Takeshi and Kasumi scoffed openly. "How can _she_ teach us _anything_? She's so old she should barely be able to walk." Kasumi muttered. Takeshi snickered in response.

And, suddenly, they were knocked over by an unseen force. "That is what someone gets for questioning me." The old lady snapped, clasping her hands behind her back and glaring at them.

Kiyoshi looked startled, unaccustomed to displays of aura like that one, but Koenma merely laughed. "I don't advise messing with her. I knew that eventually hiring a new Reikai Tentai would become a necessity. It took a great amount of persuasion to convince her to hang around the human world until then, instead of dying and traveling through Reikai. And only her already-amazing spiritual power made keeping her alive even possible. And she has progressed since then."

The woman chuckled. "I should have died over a hundred years ago. Well, technically, I _did_ die, but your ancestors won a tournament in which they were granted anything they could wish for. They chose to bring me back, which their opponent and Koenma here made possible."

They all just stared at her, and she said, "Lesson one: quit gaping. Control of one's emotions is vital in effectively controlling and manipulating reiki, also known as aura." She glanced at Koenma. "There's no point in hiding it from them. I'm sure they've all figured it out by now anyway."

"Takeshi," she said sharply, making him jump, "Eight generations ago, one of your grandmothers was Shizuru Kuwabara, sister of Kazuma Kuwabara, possessor of the only known Dimensional Sword in existence. I hope I can at least build you up to a simple aura sword."

"Akiko. Your grandmother four generations ago was the twin sister of Hiei, Forbidden One, possessor of the Jagan Eye and the Black Dragon. Unfortunately, as an Ice Maiden, you won't be able to master the flame techniques he did. However, it should be a good indication of the levels of power you could reach, as aura capacity and spiritual abilities are often passed down through families."

"Kiyoshi. Eight generations ago, a woman in your family had a son named Shuichi Minamino. However, this was actually a demon by the name of Kurama. Shortly before he disappeared, she had remarried. Shortly after, she had another son, the start of your line. From what Koenma tells me, since her, your family has possessed a slight sense, most likely due to her continued exposure to Kurama's demonic aura. Also, a rare but not unheard of thing occurred. Since Shiori, your family has had a strange connection to plant life. Kurama was skilled at manipulating and summoning plants. It is possible that a slight amount of that ability was inserted in among Shiori's human genetics, simply from the nearly seventeen years of exposure to it. It was then passed down. My hope is that we can build on that enough to make it useful, although both Koenma and I believe it to be impossible for you to reach anywhere near Kurama's skill level, because despite that small amount of genetics, you are still human, and he is a demon."

Here she stopped for a moment before turning to Kasumi. "Koenma mentioned to me that you knew the father of Keiko Yukimura's daughter. You knew that it was Yusuke, which we should have realized before now. You also knew of the Reikai Tentai. You already possess the Rei gun so there isn't much I feel it is necessary to teach you. However there are some more advanced aura-building techniques that no one other than me knows exactly how to work. Also, despite your prowess, you don't yet have enough power to be able to undertake the transformation should you die. I want to work you up to that level of power, just as a backup."

She met each of their eyes. "You now know who you are and what I want of you. I expect you to work hard, and do exactly as I say. If you don't, don't expect to progress. And two final things. First, I will be observing you all throughout this training regimen, and, in the end, it will be I who chooses from among you the new Underworld Detective. In other words, I will decide which of the four of you is most suited to become the leader of the Reikai Tentai. The last thing I must say to you is related to the Underworld Detective. I'm sure you all understand this already, but I want to say it aloud just to make sure there is no confusion. My last pupil…" she sighed, the breathed in deeply; it was still difficult for her to talk about him. "I miss him deeply. He was annoying beyond all measure, but when he really put his mind on studying, he progressed quickly, although he always did better in direct combat. My last pupil was also an Underworld Detective. Yusuke Urameshi, missing person, and demon throwback. That's whose shoes you are expected to fill. Good luck."

Again she met each of their eyes. "I don't believe I've introduced myself. I am Master Genkai."

* * *

The reason for the end is that I suck at developing characters. So it's just better if I use characters I don't own as much as possible. I only own five, so far (one doesn't come in until the seventh chapter; yes I have written that far already, and that's the only reason you're getting updates so fast. Now I'm stuck, so that probably won't last long.).


	4. Chapter Three

Still only own Akiko, Kasumi, Kiyoshi, and Takeshi. Thanks. R&R. BTW, the bit about the stream is unimportant at this point. I just wanted an opportunity to have Akiko say the first comment to Kasumi. And what is now my favorite part of each chapter to write first appears in this chapter. Thanks to all my reviewers. :)

* * *

After six weeks of training, Genkai felt that each of her four teenage students had improved a reasonable amount.

Kiyoshi could now make plants grow faster than they should have. He couldn't yet summon them or transform them into weapons, but the speed at which the plants were growing and the speed at which Kiyoshi was progressing, made her wonder if she and Koenma had underestimated the boy.

Takeshi had also progressed in the direction she had hoped. He had gone far enough with a highly charmed object—the tip of a wooden sword, the same one Kuwabara had used, in fact—that she had forced him to move on to summoning it from nothing. He couldn't keep the sword out for long, but she was still pleased with how far he had come.

As for Akiko and Kasumi, they were both on the same training program. She pushed them like she had pushed Yusuke, and eventually—after about two weeks for Akiko and four for Kasumi—they snapped. When they did, they both reached the full aura capacity their bodies could handle at the time. When this happened, she be can training them to subconsciously be able to summon that total power. Kasumi was closer to that goal than Akiko by now, but Akiko had more unused aura due to her demonic nature, so she had had farther to come. Genkai was impressed by how hard both of them trained.

Then, halfway through the seventh week, Koenma called Genkai. "I hate to do this, but I really have no choice. I need them now. Have you observed them long enough to at least choose a leader? I know they haven't really had long enough, but this mission has already been postponed for as long as it could; longer, really, than it should have been."

"Yes. I can choose a leader. Are you sure they can handle this mission?"

He looked at her for a moment before answering. "No. I am not. But there is a natural hole in the force field that refuses to disappear. At least five humans have walked through it in the one and a half weeks it's been open. I'll finish explaining when I see all of you at one o'clock this afternoon."

"Okay."

* * *

Two hours later, Koenma stood in front of the four teenagers. Soon he turned to Genkai. "Have you chosen?" She nodded. "Any questions?" he asked.

"Will our lineage…" Kasumi began slowly, "in any way affect who you chose? As in who on the last team we're connected to?"

"Not exactly." Master Genkai said. "The only part of your ancestry I took into consideration was your blood—human or demon. I did my best to be an impartial and unbiased judge."

Kasumi nodded. "Fair enough."

"Before I announce who I chose, I wish to tell you each of my evaluations, and I wish for them to be present so they can hear where they could use some improvements." Genkai said, addressing Koenma. He nodded.

"Takeshi is strong, and getting stronger every day. He has the drive to do anything and everything asked of him. He has the most passion out of anyone on the team. However, at fourteen he is the youngest and I wonder if he is mature enough to handle the responsibility. His spirit and humor are good, but I have noticed that that passion often overshadows his seriousness, making it difficult for him to concentrate." She nodded to Takeshi, smiling. He nodded in return, keeping his emotions in check, trying to display how serious he could be.

"Kiyoshi. He has probably made the most dramatic improvement of the four in the last six and a half weeks. He is also the most intelligent of the group." She nodded her approval at the boy. "However, he was the last to be truly introduced to this world and its entirety, and still has far to go before catching up to the others. Also, he is quiet and rather introverted, going along with whatever the others suggest, very rarely saying what's actually on his mind. I fear that this passive behavior would make it difficult for him to lead the others."

"Akiko is strong, and talented. Of the four, she is currently the strongest. However, her demonic nature concerns me; she has no ties to the humans in the human realm, the main focus of the team's protection. Also, she doesn't care what the team does, so long as it doesn't endanger _her_. If she were to become the Underworld Detective, and then leave, it would throw the team into chaos."

"Finally, Kasumi. At sixteen, she is the second oldest. She is second in overall power, however has the most variety in her attacks and defenses. She learns well, when she stops talking long enough to listen. However, the fact that she is a throwback makes me a bit nervous; I don't have any idea how her body and her mind will respond to the flood of new genetic material, should she transform. Of the few who have undergone the transformation, several went haywire. Based on family history, however, it should go off without a hitch. And, in my opinion, family statistics are more reliable than overall statistics. However, most demons feel no loyalty to humans whatsoever. But since she's human now…" Genkai sighed before continuing. "I'm sorry for this comparison, Kasumi, but I think she is like Yusuke. The only reason he ever left was his guilt and grief over Kuwabara's death. He remained loyal to Koenma, though." By now she was talking to herself, and she sighed again.

Remembering what she was supposed to be doing she then said, "Well, I deliberated and, although I know this will complicate things between you and your father, I decided to go the one they all unintentionally—almost subconsciously—rally around. Kasumi."

Koenma nodded before saying, "Now back to your last statement about Yusuke… How do you know how Yusuke feels?" He stared at her.

She stared back evenly. "He visits me. Not often, and not for long, but he once told me that."

"Why didn't you report his presence?"

"He asked me not to, and I decided to respect his wishes. I figured that seeing him every twenty-five years or so, and knowing he was safe was more important than telling you. If he finds out I told you, I doubt he'll ever stop by again. Between the three of them—who were still traveling together fifteen years ago,—there was no way you would have found them anyway, even with the tip."

Koenma nodded, understanding her reasoning. He then turned to the group. "Now for your first real mission."

He went on to say, "I wish it wasn't this difficult, this soon, but I need you to travel into the demon plane. A natural hole has occurred and it won't seal itself. Several humans have already gone through it. All of them disappeared into a forest a short distance away. They then got lost in the forest, and all of them described the same location to Botan when she escorted them through Reikai."

"We think," he continued, "that a demon is the cause of this. Many demons have disappeared there over the years, but humans were never in any danger. Also, the number of deaths has drastically increased in the last three weeks. It used to be that demons would come away from the place injured but alive, telling stories of an unseen attacker that didn't pursue if you attempted to escape. Now, it seems, anyone who comes near disappears completely."

"So here is your mission: you must ambush and kill the demon. The only information I can give you concerning him and his fortress is this: it is located in a relatively safe part of Makai, in a forest. All the defense and weaponry is plants. Kiyoshi might be a significant part of your attack, in that respect."

"Finally, Botan will accompany you to the edge of his fortress before returning to Reikai. I wish you all the best of luck."

They nodded before going to collect what they would need for the trip. As they filed out, Koenma said, "Kasumi, a word, if you please."

She walked up to him and he told her, "As the new Detective, you have a greater responsibility than the rest of the team. It is up to you to keep them together and doing what it is they are supposed to. However, although you ultimately make the final decisions, you must listen to the others as well. And you must not be bossy." He smiled. "Now go and get your things together."

She nodded. "Yes, sir." She then turned on her heel and ran to go pack.

An hour later, the group, each with a backpack, boarded a bus. Botan followed them. A while afterward, she led them off at the correct stop.

Thankfully, the area where the hole to Makai was, was sparsely populated. However, Makai in that same place looked similar, making it easy for a human lacking a sixth sense to pass through without noticing.

All five of them knew it, the moment they stepped into the demon plane. The air itself felt threatening.

Almost immediately they reached a forest. It extended farther than they could see in both directions and, according to Botan, was larger overall than the largest forest on earth. The forest itself had an aura, on that undulated between dangerous and completely unthreatening. Akiko was the only one who didn't feel threatened, knowing from experience that other parts of Makai were much, much worse. She merely hoped they would never be required to travel to those places.

Hiking through the forest, Botan told Kiyoshi not to destroy the plants. He had been, but she told him that it was better to conserve his spiritual energy, which was more difficult to regenerate than physical energy.

After six hours and four and a half miles, Botan stopped. "We are about a quarter of a mile away from the threat. We will stop here for the night. This area is safe—for Makai. However, although it is generally unthreatening, with the exception of that single demon, and we can sleep here, one person must be awake at all times. I'll do the first shift."

They ate dinner before lying down to sleep. Every hour and a half they switched shifts.

In the morning, Kasumi got up early. She went to a nearby stream she had heard during the night. Just as she was reaching towards the stream, Akiko said, "I wouldn't do that, were I you."

"And why not?"

"It could be poisonous. At least for you, if not me."

"So how can I tell?"

Akiko sighed, then began searching the riverbank for something. "Here." She handed a small read flower to Kasumi. "You're lucky there was some here; where it grows is totally erratic. It has approximately the same hardiness as the average human, and is intolerant of roughly the same things. Toss it in the water; if it doesn't shrivel up in the next thirty seconds, the water is safe. It is a great joke among demons, however, that a simple flower is as strong as most humans."

Kasumi did as Akiko suggested, ignoring the last comment, and nothing happened. She drank some of the water, washed her face, and stood up. She then found more of the flowers and collected their seeds. When they had returned to camp, she gave them to Kiyoshi, who accepted them without questioning.

They ate again and packed up their camp. They followed Botan again, this time for only about twenty minutes. "This is it," she said, "I must now leave you and return to Reikai. Goodbye and good luck." And with that, she disappeared, leaving the four teenagers alone.

Before them stood a section of forest much more menacing than the part they had traveled through. Other than the plants, it seemed to be devoid of life. Not even the demon plane-variety insects that had plagued them since they arrived seemed to live there.

It was beautiful. And deadly. A death trap of the most dangerous and elegant kind. All four of them, Takeshi and Kiyoshi and Kasumi and even Akiko, shuddered slightly at the thought of entering. But they had no choice.

* * *

Meanwhile…

Three people walked with silent footsteps through a desolate canyon, that burned from the intensity of the sun. The tallest asked, "Why must we move so often?" It was more of a groan than a question, as if knowing that hearing the answer would change nothing. As if he already knew the answer.

"Koenma would find us," the second tallest replied. "You know that."

"The first speaker spun around to face the other. "Any of the places we've stayed would have been safe. If he found us, even he wouldn't be able to get in. No one has _ever_ been able to get in. I do a check every time we stop. Nothing has _ever_ been taken. If someone had gotten in, they would have taken it for themselves. There is _no way_ anyone has been in there since the last time I visited it, two hundred and thirty one years ago."

"Precaution. That's why we move. There wasn't a strong concentration of aura there when you weren't there. Someone might notice our aura if we stayed there too long. Why do you even care?"

"The more places we visit, the more deaths there will be. My defenses have a tendency to react to my presence. They were incredibly difficult for anyone but me to get through when we arrived. Now it will be nearly impossible. Any one who tries and makes one wrong move will not walk away.

The other man just shrugged.

The shortest of them interrupted impatiently, "Could you two stop talking and start moving? I don't want to be in this godforsaken ditch any longer than I have to be." The others nodded and the group continued walking.


	5. Chapter Four

I kinda got just a little carried away with this chapter. Sorry if you don't like long chapters… :) He he. And the characters that belong to me still remain at Kiyoshi, Akiko, Kasumi, and Takeshi. Also, I am very excited about this story. Not only am I nearly obsessed with it, but it is receiving a great response from all of you who have reviewed! YAY!

* * *

Takeshi made the first move, making to step into the dangerous area. But at the same moment, both Kiyoshi and Akiko shouted, "Stop!" Well, Kiyoshi shouted, Akiko said it in a voice that told everyone that she didn't care in the slightest whether or not he stopped. He did, although he looked at them questioningly. "You can't just step into this." Kiyoshi explained. "Your sixth sense might help, but not enough. You might get a few yards before it failed, but you would be attacked, and soon."

"Then how do you propose we get in?" Kasumi challenged.

"I want to try a few things first," Kiyoshi answered vaguely. He knew the aura reinforcing the plants was much stronger than his own. Therefore, he wouldn't be capable of killing them. He tried manipulating them out of the way without much success. But then he noticed something. He said, in wonderment, "It's a perfect circle. The plants this demon used are contained in a perfect circle." And something much more important, something that astonished Kiyoshi. "It's either negligence, an attempt to lull us into a false sense of security, arrogance, or… a challenge." He muttered to himself. "But if it's been secure so long, it can't be negligence or arrogance. This was done on _purpose_."

He looked up to find the rest of the team raising their eyebrows at him. In explanation for his mutterings, he said, "There are gaps."

"Gaps?" Kasumi questioned.

"Yes, gaps. As in there are small gaps in specific places throughout the protection of whatever is on the inside. So small and precise, in fact, that I believe it was done on purpose, meaning they want to lull us into thinking we're safe, or…" Kiyoshi trailed off.

"Or…?" Kasumi prompted him.

He met her gaze. "Or it's a challenge." He paused. "I think it's a challenge."

"A challenge?" Akiko said skeptically.

He nodded. "The openings are to minute to be the first option. And it's too much of a… a _pattern_ to be mistakes to due to negligence or arrogance."

"A challenge?" Kasumi repeated Akiko.

"I think whoever created this wanted to see if anyone would get through. If anyone _could_ get through."

"I don't feel any gaps." Takeshi said bluntly. Akiko and Kasumi nodded.

"They're so small that only a person who listens to their sense and has a fairly strong connection to plants can even feel them. But to find them is only the first step of passing the challenged. Because navigating _through_ them to the center will be much more difficult."

After this announcement, a silence filled the air for a few moments. Finally, Kasumi said, "So. Do you think you can lead us through?"

Kiyoshi glanced back at the grove, feeling once again the miniscule breaks in the wall of the green fortress surrounding who-knew-what. When he turned back to the group, there was a defiance and a determination in his eyes unlike any the group had seen there before. When he answered, it sounded powerful, determined, sure. "Yes."

* * *

Koenma was desperately worried about his new team. However, he couldn't interfere with this mission. He couldn't interfere with any mission. He knew from experience that just letting the team do what it would was, in the long run, both the safest and the easiest option. And also what generally happened in the end anyway.

But he was still worried in spite of all that.

So he sat at his desk, passing the communicator back and forth from one hand to the other. He was debating on whether or not to contact Kasumi.

In the end, he opened the device and pressed one-eight-three, the number of Kasumi's device. She didn't respond. Which meant on of three things. Either she didn't hear it, couldn't access it wherever it was, or the team was in trouble.

Before panicking, he tried the other three's devices. Then he panicked because none of them answered. He began thinking of what he could do. But nothing seemed logical.

* * *

For the past few minutes, an obnoxiously loud beeping had permeated the silence around the group. The noise was frustrating, mainly to Kasumi and Takeshi. "Why can't we just answer the damn device?" Kasumi demanded.

"We can't afford the distraction Koenma would create."

"And the _noise_ isn't a distraction?"

"Just hit the button on the back edge; that'll shut it completely off." Kiyoshi said in an exasperated voice. The other three did as he suggested and the beeping died, leaving an oppressive silence in its place. Kasumi sighed, thankful the noise was gone. And once again the group concentrated on making their way through the trap filled area. One concentrated on finding the exact places it was necessary to step to avoid injury and possible death. The other three focused solely on imitating Kiyoshi's step.

"Could we stop for a few minutes?" Takeshi called from the back of the group.

"Do you _want_ to get dismembered? Do you _want_ to get eaten?" Kiyoshi called back. "'Cause that's what'll happen if we stop. Genkai showed me many of the plants surrounding us. That's what they do. Most you could escape from. But not _these_. These have help. Is that what you want Takeshi? To be ripped to pieces and eaten? Or eaten whole or alive? Is that what you want? If it is, be my guest and stop. But I'm not." Kiyoshi's tone was hard, sarcastic. They'd never heard him speak like that, but it made them realize a few things.

First of all, in the few weeks since they had met, Kiyoshi had come to truly care about each of them; he was too shy to ever use that tone with someone he didn't like.

Second, he was intelligent. They knew that, but hadn't realized that he was an intelligent person who didn't have much tolerance for stupid questions or stupid people.

Third, he was a person who didn't like to be interrupted, at least while he was really concentrating on something important.

Fourth, Kiyoshi was much more powerful and observant than any of them had thought. The way they knew about his observation skills was obvious. But the way he said it conveyed a power none of them had previously detected in Kiyoshi.

And finally, Kiyoshi _knew_ he had that power. But he didn't want _anyone else_ to know he had it.

But just how powerful he actually was, was one thing that was still up for debate.

As they followed him, it gradually became harder and harder for them to keep following Kiyoshi's exact footsteps. Part of this was that the vegetation was growing thicker the farther they traveled and that the holes the demon had left were growing smaller and fewer. The other reason was that Kiyoshi had sped up, sensing that they were close to their goal.

"Could you _slow down_?" Kasumi gasped, out of breath.

"Sorry." Kiyoshi promptly set his pace to one the others could keep up with.

And although they were getting closer, the forest around them showed no signs of ending. It still seemed just as impenetrable and dense to Akiko, Takeshi, and Kasumi as it had the first moment they set eyes on it.

But for Kiyoshi, it was completely different. This challenge had awoken in him a determination to improve more than anything Genkai had thrown at him had done. And it was becoming easier and easier to see the rare, simple places it was safe to stand. Suddenly, he couldn't understand why no one had gotten through here before. He could understand why most people would have trouble, but not why there wasn't anyone who _hadn't_ had trouble. Because, suddenly, every single gap was downright obvious.

* * *

"They've definitely gone in, Master Koenma." He had sent Botan back to check and see if they had even entered. "And I talked to the other ferry-girls; none of them has escorted any of the four to Reikai."

He nodded. "Well, it's not that they just won't answer. It's that every single one of them has turned their communicator clear off."

Botan's eyes widened, clearly saying that she, like Koenma, had assumed the worst.

All four of them were exhausted, yet, for reasons Kiyoshi had already explained, they could not afford to stop.

But, abruptly, the vegetation ended. It wasn't a clearing but a ring two feet wide surrounding a circle of trees, made impassable by the thickness and density of their trunks and branches. But Kiyoshi could feel that their goal was on just the other side of the trees.

"See this ring?" he asked the others. "It's safe. But whatever you do, do not touch any of the plants on either side."

They sat and rested a moment, after which Kiyoshi began walking the ring. Its circumference was very large. But the thing he noticed most was that each of the trees was exactly the same width and exactly the same distance from its two neighbors. And every twenty-third tree had a knot on it at precisely the same spot.

After a while, he came full circle and found the rest of the group waiting for him. "I need to think." That was the only thing he could tell them.

He sat down and began talking to himself, the way he did whenever he really needed to think hard. "Four knots, ninety-two trees. But what order to touch them in? What order?"

Suddenly he remembered; next to each of the knotted trees there had been one or more vines. "Could it really be that simple?" he asked himself. Deciding it was worth a shot, he got up and went over to the group. "Come one. I think I've figured it out. But if I'm right, I'll need your guys' help. And be careful. I want each of us to stand in front of a tree. When your communicator goes off—make sure you turn it back on—press the knot in front of you immediately. Don't bother actually checking it." They nodded.

As he was leading them around the tree, just as they approached the first tree, the edge of Takeshi's sneaker brushed against the lone vine crossing the path. It instantaneously wrapped itself around his ankle and began pulling him backward, toward the dangerous forest surrounding them. He lost his balance. Reaching out to steady himself, Takeshi's hand landed on the knot. And although the ivy refused to release him it stopped in its attempts to drag him away. Thinking all was over, Takeshi removed his hand. Immediately, the plant started pulling again and he put his hand back.

Kiyoshi determined that, as long as his hand remained on the knot, Takeshi was safe. He then led Akiko and Kasumi to the second tree, where he instructed Kasumi to place her hand on the knot. She was careful avoid the two vines on the ground. He repeated this process with Akiko at the third tree, and he did it himself at the fourth. And… nothing happened.

He removed his hand from the tree. "What did I miscalculate?" he asked the air in front of him. "I know it's the knots that will get us inside. Once Takeshi touched the first, he was safe, even though he had touched the vine." _Even though he had touched the vine._

Kiyoshi immediately hit the number of Akiko's device into his own. He then instructed her to stop touching the knot. He told the same thing to Kasumi.

Then he took a breath and said, "Kasumi, now step on both the vines at your feet and touch the knot as quickly as you can." She did so.

Again he went through the process with Akiko and then himself. And as soon as he hit the final tree with the palm of his hand, all four of them were drawn upside-down through the air by the vines at their feet. Soon they were placed gently on the ground on the other side of the trees, where the vines then released their ankles and receded into the branches.

But when they looked up, Kasumi was forced to hit the button on the left of her communication device, in order to contact her boss. Because, although it wasn't exactly an _emergency_, it was a pretty damn big piece of news, if you asked Kasumi. Because the sight that met their eyes when they looked up was one that not only they but also Botan and even Koenma could not have anticipated.

* * *

Meanwhile…

The three men were sitting together around a fire the shortest had lit. He was asleep, but the other two just stared into the flames.

Unexpectedly, the taller one, the one with the lightest hair, said, "Interesting. Someone has just invaded our last hideout. They actually got _all the way in_."

The dark-haired one replied, "Glad we left now, aren't you?"

"Of course, but it would be nice to meet the person who led the group in; he's the only person in nearly two and a half centuries to have made it all the way through."

The other rolled his eyes. "But now you're sure to lose everything in there."

"That's fine," the first replied, totally at ease. "If I had taken it because I want _money_, don't you think I would have done something with it by now? The only reason I ever stole anything in the first place was for the thrill, then when it turned out I was good at it, for the fame. It was never for the _stuff_. But I wasn't about to just give it back. They needed to _work_ for it, just as I had had to work for it. But _no one_ ever came _close_ to recovering it. If I had really cared about it, I wouldn't have made a path to it; there wouldn't have been any gaps."

The darker-haired one snorted. "So this is all just a game to you?"

"The escaping from Koenma? No. The stealing and hiding? Yes. A game no one has ever come close to beating me at. But I might finally have found a contender." He looked pleased, excited almost, about the idea of having some competition.

"Whatever you say," the other chuckled.

"And to make it that much more interesting, I think Koenma has finally hired a new team." His eyes flashed dangerously. "I almost feel sorry for them."

"What makes you say that?"

"My connections to my plants tell me that of the four who gained access, only one is a demon. And the one who led them in is _human_. Which means that they are probably on a job assigned to them by Koenma."

"Crap. That means soon they'll come looking for us. And if they got through _your_ defenses…" he trailed off, contemplating how long they could reasonably expect to stay on the run from Koenma, now that he had talented and smart people. Most likely people he would eventually send after his missing last team.

"Don't worry. They may have got there but I still don't think they have a chance of beating me at my own game. That den was, _by far_, the easiest to get into. And it still took them half a day." He then looked at the other man evenly. "And they haven't even begun trying to get out."

The other, only slightly reassured had opened his mouth to answer when the third man said, not bothering to open his eyes, "Would you two shut up? I would have thought that it was obvious I was trying to sleep." The other two snorted, not at all surprised by his comment or the fact that he hadn't actually been asleep. They rolled over and then they, too, passed into the oblivion of sleep.


	6. Chapter Five

I only own Kasumi, Akiko, Kiyoshi, and Takeshi.

* * *

Kasumi had hit the button on the left of her communicator, hardly even aware of what she was doing, she was so dumbfounded by what she saw. When Koenma saw who it was, he breathed an audible sigh of relief, that went unnoticed by the sixteen-year-old. "Thank goodness you're all right," Koenma said, "Are the others safe?"

"Yeah, yeah, they're right here…" Kasumi's answer was so unenthusiastic and un-Kasumi-like, he began to worry.

"Are you all safe?" he asked again. She nodded, obviously not really listening to him. "So what's the emergency?" he asked, trying to catch her ear.

Still not really paying attention she responded. "What's your definition of _emergency_? 'Cause if it's that something that something really bad is happening, we don't have one. If it's that something really important is happening, we might." Koenma was happy with this answer, because it told him they were safe. And, although she was unaware of what she was actually saying, it was a question only Kasumi would ask.

"It doesn't really matter. Now tell me, what's going on?"

"If I turn this thing around will you see what we see?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"Good." And she turned the communicator away from herself.

And before them lay a sight Koenma couldn't have pretended he had expected, not even in his wildest dreams. It was a lair of some sort. In one corner was a space where someone evidently lived. It contained three ornately decorated chares set around an even more ornate table. Off to one side was what could have passed for anything from a nest to a burrow to a bed, covered by quilts of expensive materials.

But outside that one small area, the place was packed. And with nothing ordinary, too. Stacked several layers high were objects from everywhere imaginable. And, for the most part, they were all priceless, one-of-a-kind items, or else very expensive. Koenma could see that even from the distance at which he was observing them. There was a considerable amount of gold, silver, and other precious metals, of course. But there were also works of art—masterpieces, really—that had been missing for centuries.

So, for several minutes, the five of them simply stared. Koenma was the first to regain his composure. And when he spoke, the four teens finally snapped out of it. "Go. Look through this stuff. But be careful. He could be here somewhere."

"He's not." Kiyoshi suddenly said, "The aura you surely felt from the outside seeming to confirm a presence in here wasn't a single aura. It's the combined aura of many of these objects. It's not the owner we need to worry about; it's the objects themselves. And Koenma… this was nothing more than a challenge. Whoever created this place wanted nothing more than to see if anyone could get through to this chamber. I don't believe they honestly care about these things."

Koenma nodded, trusting his most intelligent team member. "Take pictures of everything you can. Since my last team, these devices have improved some. Open it and hit the camera button. Any pictures you take will automatically be sent back to me." They all nodded, and he flipped his device shut, causing Kasumi's to flash off.

And so they began.

What the team photographed varied. A lot. It ranged from dresses and cloaks and hats to masterpieces to any and every type of furniture imaginable. From strange instruments to objects there only because the person seemed to have liked them to things they had no hope of identifying. From fabrics and quilts to a set of solid gold dinnerware to gems of every shape, size, color, and cut to hundreds of bags of money of origins none of the team could identify.

And they documented it all. Everything from the strange living area to the money and gems to the furniture to the small wooden top that had once been painted in vivid blues and greens. Everything.

When they were finally finished, they took the time to more carefully examine some of the items. Kiyoshi's main interest lay in the demon's living area. And there was also the proof of what Kiyoshi had claimed; that this was nothing more than a challenge and the owner—or thief—had no interest in the objects.

The proof was this: the chairs and table were obviously meant as a display of wealth and standing, and, if they were even used, would have been kept in prime condition. However, the chairs were worn, the stain fading. The gems set into the back and sides had lost some of their shine, and some were even scratched. The top of the table was scuffed and dented, seeming to indicate that, when he was here, the thief often propped his feet up on it.

He also found some fruit pits and apple cores lying beneath the table. They had only begun to mold, not completely decaying yet. The owner had been here recently.

Kiyoshi took careful pictures of all this, to show to Koenma the evidence he had found for his theory, as well as the idea that the guy hadn't left long ago. And once he had taken the photographs, having glanced at the others and seeing dark circles beneath their eyes, he began to realize how truly exhausted he was. He was tired to the very core of his being; his very bones were exhausted; every last ounce of energy in him had been leeched away. So he stumbled, doing the only thing that made the slightest amount of sense: he fell into the nest of quilts where he immediately slipped into an exhausted, dreamless sleep.

Seeing Kiyoshi, eyes shut and completely dead to the world, Kasumi, Takeshi, and finally Akiko followed suit. And so it was that, for the rest of the night, the four members of the team slept, approximately two feet apart from each other, in a nest of blankets put together by the person they were attempting to kill.

* * *

While his team slept deep in a forest in Makai, Koenma was scanning through the pictures they had sent him. And, although he was nearly as tired as Kiyoshi had been, he couldn't make himself stop. He scrolled through the hundreds, even thousands, of pictures.

And he was absolutely floored.

Many of the pieces he could immediately identify. This one was from Makai at around 1300. That one from Reikai in the 1560s. These from the human world between 1650 and 1700. Those made in Makai, stolen in the human realm circa 1800.

The items he didn't recognize were either obviously valuable, obviously dangerous, both, or insignificant trinkets, such as the top. But each of those objects still served to interest Koenma. The valuable and dangerous ones made him wonder why they'd never been reported missing. The—let's face it—toys fascinated him for a different reason. There simply for the thief's entertainment, they might be able to tell the prince of the underworld something about the thief himself.

And they did. Unfortunately, they revealed nothing useful. There were many different kinds of puzzles, all well-used, all solved. Also several items—such as watches—had been taken apart then partially reassembled. But it was apparent that the lack of completion was out of boredom with a task too simple, not that he couldn't figure it out. This coupled with the confusing trap outside made at least two things evident: he was very intelligent and the stolen objects meant nothing to him.

The top and other such objects showed that the thief could be entertained in much simpler ways. Not that either of these things helped.

The one thing that came closest to helping was the age of the objects. The oldest he had identified had been reported stolen at around 1100 ad, the newest stolen April 16, 1931. But all this indicated was that the thief had added objects to this collection for a span of eight hundred and fifty years. And, of course, the thief who possessed them now could have stolen them from a stash he discovered, without actually stealing them himself. So in that sense, not even the span of time was certain. But Koenma's gut feeling—which was usually correct—told him that the thief had stolen them from the original and rightful owners himself.

* * *

When Kiyoshi woke the next morning, he began searching for the way out. And he couldn't find one. They were trapped.

He was on the edge of panicking when Genkai's voice forced its way into his consciousness, a memory from several weeks previously. "Just remain calm. When dealing with demonic powers, however slight or great, being calm is key. And one thing Kurama told me once—when dealing with plants, listening is crucial. He told me that they are constantly trying to communicate, although very few are physically or mentally capable of hearing them. And I believe, Kiyoshi, that you are one of those few. So just listen."

He did as she had suggested. At first, nothing. Then, eventually, the nothing melted away, forming instead the sensation he got when someone was whispering across the room from him. Not a voice, but a knowledge of someone talking. And that began to fill him. Then, suddenly, he just knew. The key to getting out was… manners. All he had to do was kindly ask the right tree to let them out. But there was peril in this, too. He knew he didn't receive unlimited guesses; his gut told him only six. So when he continued listening, it didn't surprise him that six of the trees identified themselves as different.

He slowly came out of his meditative state, and asked, one tree at a time, "Would you be so kind as to show me and my friends the way out?" After three trees, he was a little nervous, wondering whether he was even asking the correct thing to the correct trees. But on the fourth, his doubts were eliminated by the thick branches that came and grabbed the four team members, alarming three out of their sleep. They were set down softly in the ring outside the trees. Everything was silent.

* * *

_The time frame fits_, Koenma thought furiously.

But a small portion of him fought back. _That doesn't mean it was him._

_But plants. Plants. And some of those items were stolen by him based on the minute amount of evidence he intentionally left at the scene. And many others he was suspected of having a hand in, but there wasn't any evidence to prove or disprove it._

The battle raging in Koenma's head was suddenly silenced by a high beeping. He flipped open the case and Kiyoshi began speaking. "Send people out here now. The challenge has been proved. Once someone—in this case, us—got inside, other than the owner, the majority of the plants quit defending the place. So if you want the items, you better do it quick."

Stunned, Koenma did as Kiyoshi suggested, after which the boy continued, "He was there recently, by the way. And in case figuring out a personality will help, this guy seems to have admired politeness. What should we do now?"

"Wait."

Kiyoshi nodded, the device flashed, and he disappeared. Koenma's face sank lower and lower until it finally hit the desk in front of him. He groaned. He could think of only three or four thieves who fit the description he had created—intelligent, polite, slightly whimsical, and still free. And only one fit the time frame.

But Koenma didn't want to believe it, not even with all the evidence laid out in front of him.

* * *

"The plants have surrendered. They figured out how to get out. They either have someone crazy or a very good listener on that team. I don't know about you two, but I have a feeling this will be far more interesting that we ever anticipated." The tallest man's eyes flashed with both an excitement and a nervous energy.

"And Koenma's not stupid. No doubt that, if not now, soon he'll figure out it was you." The brown-haired one replied.

"Which would be the end of us." The shortest muttered under his breath, but the other two still heard him.

"Nah." The tallest answered, completely at ease, his confidence that they wouldn't be caught tangible. "Last night by listening to my plants, I found that of the four, only one is a demon, although another has a strange control of plants." His grin, revealing sharp teeth, was wicked, as if he knew more about that than he was letting on. "But either way, three are human. And they haven't worked together long."

The shortest's disgust at the thought of being captured had dissipated. "So what you're saying is that they won't be able to hurt us, or capture us, but might be able to pose a threat? The threat of catching up with us?" This silver-blonde one nodded. A malicious grin spread over the face of the shortest man present. "Then this might just turn out to be the most fun we've had in the last fifteen decades."


	7. Chapter Six

I only own Kiyoshi, Kasumi, Takeshi, and Akiko. I just read the seventeenth book, but as far as I can tell, so far this story is compatible with everything in that book. R&R. :) Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up.

* * *

About twelve minutes after Kiyoshi placed the call to Koenma, the requisition force Koenma had sent arrived. Walking into the lair behind Kasumi, they were stunned. Koenma had warned them that the place they were going was unlike anyplace they had ever been sent before. But that still hadn't prepared them for what they saw now.

They had been sent to plenty of demonic stashes in the time they'd worked for Koenma. But never anywhere that had such a variety of items. And only a very few with so many. And all of those contained all the items the demon thief still possessed. According to Koenma, however, this particular demon probably had multiple other stashes close to this size.

The eldest member of the requisition force leaned to the second-most senior member and whispered, "Whoever owns this particular den could give Yoko Kurama a run for his title as Thief King." The other nodded his agreement.

They then set to work collecting the items and moving them back into Reikai, where Koenma waited to file them.

The Reikai Tentai waited outside, doing their best to just stay out of the way of the people Koenma had sent. Kiyoshi was attempting to figure out how they could find the demon who owned this den, now that he had left. But he was having trouble concentrating; something else was tugging at his consciousness, distracting him. Suddenly, he placed it. It was a presence that reminded him of Akiko's, although not quite so powerful, but she sat next to him. Just as he thought this, he glanced at her, checking to see if she felt it too. She nodded. Takeshi was fidgeting; it was apparent he felt something, too, even if he didn't recognize it for what it was. A demonic presence moving directly toward them.

* * *

Koenma was frustrated and delighted at the same time. Delighted because of the lost treasures his team had accidentally recovered. Frustrated because the work finding them entailed was, well, extremely boring.

He had spent the last two hours stamping 'recovered' on the stolen item reports in Reikai's extensive filing system, then signing them. And that was only for the ones that had been reported missing. The others he had to identify and write out an entire report for. Thankfully, he had people to at least find the files for him. Each time he moved a completed report to the pile on his left, he counted it. So there he sat. "113… 114… 115… 116…"

* * *

The demon approached the group, and Kiyoshi and Akiko stood, preparing to fight. Kasumi stood when she saw him, and Takeshi, finally noticing the threat and recognizing that the demon was what his sixth sense had been alerting him to, followed suit. Kasumi spoke first, "Are you the one to whom this hideout belonged?" Her voice was forceful, demanding, yet the demon before them didn't seem to care.

He snorted. "I wish."

Akiko had been watching him since he had stepped into view, gauging his power. And he didn't impress. "Yes. You do." She spoke calmly and quietly, but it still commanded the entire group's attention. "If you did, you'd be much more powerful, to be able to continue upholding the protection around the place for an extended amount of time from a distance. And, what's more, you wouldn't come here peaceably; you'd mean to recapture your stronghold, or you wouldn't come back at all."

"Feh."

Fire flashed in Kasumi's eyes. "The what is your purpose I coming here?"

"This." From his sleeve he pulled an envelope. "I was… coerced by a demon far more powerful than myself into delivering it. The demon who does own this lair, in fact. He attacked, placing a seed of some sort on me; he assured me that he could track me with it. And if I didn't do as he asked, it would kill me. I decided not to risk it." He passed the sealed envelope to Kasumi when she held her hand out for it. Moments later, he was ripped apart from the inside and a flowering plant took his place.

Kiyoshi, Kasumi, and Takeshi stared in horror. Akiko, unsurprised by demonic cruelties, pulled the envelope from Kasumi's hand, and broke the seal.

* * *

In Koenma's office…

"143… 144… 145… 146… 147…"

* * *

The team crowded around Akiko to read the note.

_My dear friends,_

_To you go the honors of several things. First, congratulations on being appointed the new Reikai Tentai. That is no small feat. Second, and more importantly, I commend you for being the first to have ever reached any of my private stores. Finally, an honor you may receive but as yet undetermined, you may be capable of finding me and the others I travel with, something not intentionally done for decades. For that, good luck._

_If you would follow us, you must locate—and gain entry to—another of my dens. But be forewarned—the one whose protection you all have already breached is the easiest to gain access to. Should you pursue us, you must travel to the location marked on the map. That is my next hideout. Another note of this nature will be inside; if you intend to find us, you must precisely follow the directions in that one as well. A scavenger hunt, if you will._

_Also, last Koenma heard from us, two of us were class A, and the last was more powerful still. And we have continued our training since then; our strength has only increased. If you still think it wise to pursue us, I applaud your courage. Although, it would surprise me if Koenma allowed it, after what happened to his last team._

_If you need proof of my power, look in front of you. He is dead by my hand. I once competed in a tournament, in which I recall telling one of my opponents, "I enjoy facing lowlifes like you. It allows me to be as brutal as I want." He certainly falls into that category, although you all may not, I'm not sure of that yet. But from this you should be able to see that I am cruel. And let me say this—I have no qualms over killing those who are out to kill or capture me. Especially if they are demons, although I will readily kill any human who attempts it. And, as you can see, I can both control and communicate with my plants over extensive distances. And my too allies either match or surpass me in power. Consider yourselves warned._

_And back to my lack of problems with murder. My life and freedom are my two most prized possessions, one or both of which you are after. Also, the most significant—if not difficult—challenge of my life—and my friends'—is to avoid Koenma. At all costs. As for whether I face a demon or human adversary, it doesn't matter. However, demons better understand what they are getting themselves into and are more capable of handling what is dealt to them. But the fact that three of you are human means nothing. Which brings me to my last point._

_Three of you are human. Only one is currently a demon. Is use the word 'currently' because, if my assumptions are correct, one of you is a throwback from Yusuke Urameshi's line. I am confident in this. And based on this and Koenma's attachment to his last team, I will give you my predictions on the other three of you. The demon is descended from the Ice Maiden Yukina, sister of Hiei. One of the remaining humans is of Shizuru Kuwabara's line, sister to Kazuma Kuwabara. And finally, the last. He has a strong connection to plant life, and he is a descendant of a woman named Shiori Minamino. Until now, her line has never disciplined itself in both body and spirit. If it had, it could very well have unleashed a monster._

_I suppose I should explain. Over the years, I have collected a vast array of knowledge of demonic genetics. And rumors of what A-class and above demons are capable of doing with them. If a human fetus is exposed to a demonic aura for almost the entire pregnancy, the child will be endowed with more spiritual capabilities. If an A- or S-class demon says a certain incantation, they can consciously insert a copy of a certain number of their demonic genetics in among the fetus' human genetics. This will then be passed down through generations, without manifesting, unless one of the members of that line becomes spiritually disciplined._

_In Makai, these have come to be known as 'copycat demons.' Similar to throwbacks, but with two key differences. First, only spiritual discipline is needed to set off the transformation, not death. Second, they will retain their humanity. They receive full demonic power over a particular area—in this case, plants—without obtaining a true demonic aura or a core. Their life can also be significantly extended. In the end, I conducted this experiment on Shiori Minamino's younger son. Therefore, one of you is a copycat demon._

_So tell all this to Koenma, and come after us, if you dare. But beware, for I have never once lost at my own game._

The team read this, slightly surprised by this open challenge. But they were completely stunned by how much this demon seemed to have deduced about them. And, if what he claimed about copycat demons was true, Koenma's team could once again end up, for all intents and purposes, with a one to three human to demon ratio. And it now seemed clear where Kiyoshi's large amount of previously untapped power came from.

But what shocked them most was the signature at the bottom of the letter; a name they all recognized. And it belonged to a demon they knew they had no hope of defeating in a physical or mental match. Especially if those he was allegedly traveling with accompanied him. The name at the bottom of the letter made their skin crawl with anticipation, anxiety, and, most of all, fear.

It read:

_Yoko Kurama_

_

* * *

_

"198… 199… 200… 201… 202… 203… 204…" Suddenly Botan burst into Koenma's office. A paper was in her hand and she appeared flustered. "What are you doing here, Botan?" Koenma asked. "You're supposed to be overseeing the transport of the treasures from Makai to Reikai." His voice was sharp, evidence of how much his tedious workload was grating on his nerves—and his patience.

"My apologies, sir. But I deemed this far more important! It's about the demon your team is after. He's issued them a challenge! And it's no run-of-the-mill demon, either. It's—"

"Kurama. Yes, I know."

"You already knew?!"

"If not _knew_, suspected. What's that paper?"

"Oh!" Botan handed it to him. "This was the letter Kurama sent to them. He used a roughly D-class demon, who was ripped to shreds by one of Kurama's plants only moments after the envelope was placed in Kasumi's hand."

"So he's as intelligent and powerful as ever, then."

"I don't think so, sir." Botan contradicted. "The three of them—I assume Hiei and Yusuke are the other two—have only become stronger since they disappeared, according to a warning in Kurama's letter."

"Stronger? _How_?! Last time I talked with them about their classifications—shortly after Yusuke resolved the conflict between Raizen, Yomi, and Mukuro, the day I rehired them—Kurama and Hiei were upper-A, and Yusuke was already deep into S. Hiei and Kurama must be S, then. Yusuke, though. How is this possible?"

"I don't know, sir."

"Wait—my new team. I must call of this mission; they can't hope to defeat any of those three, much less all of them together, especially at the current ability levels of everyone involved!"

"I'll notify them of the cancellation, sir. Meanwhile, you should probably read that letter."

"Yes. Thank you, Botan."

As she left she said, "You were at 204, sir." Then the door shut behind her.

* * *

When Botan reappeared, the team hardly glanced at her. "Koenma wishes you to return to Genkai and continue your training!" she said brightly.

When Kiyoshi looked up, his eyes flashing in a glare that was strangely reminiscent of Kurama's. "We can't do that." Botan took a step backward, surprised by the ferocity in his voice. "We're already committed to finding him. And I saw in your shock that you know nothing of copycat demons. If I want to know the true extents and limits of my abilities, I must seek out Kurama for answers."

"And we'll travel with him," Kasumi added, "We are a team. And I wish to meet Yusuke. Genkai is a good teacher, but she doesn't have the experience Yusuke does of the actual transformation."

"And I ain't gonna be left outta something this important." Takeshi said. Akiko didn't offer an explanation or motive.

"But… but even _together_ you cannot hope to defeat even _one_ of them! Yusuke was a class-S demon when they _left_. And Hiei and Kurama were both class-A. By underworld calculations, they are all class-S demons by now!" Botan was nearly crying in fright at what the team was planning to do.

Kiyoshi didn't seem to be fazed. He apparently possessed Kurama's innately calm demeanor. "Kurama will not harm us if we don't try to attack."

"But his letter said that—"

"If we tried to capture or kill him, he would kill us. And that he's never been beaten at his own game. That's all this is to him; a game to see who is intellectually superior—me or him. And to see if his experiment worked. Which I intend to prove it did."

They picked up their packs and walked away from the stunned ferry-girl, following the directions on a map Kurama had included with his letter.

* * *

Botan knocked nervously on Koenma's office door before letting herself in. She found him pacing back and forth. When he saw her, he said, "Botan, what do our files say on copycat demons?"

Glad to postpone telling him what his team had decided she answered quickly. "File. I could only find one file on them. It claims that a copycat demon is only a theoretical concept. A copycat demon whose powers have manifested, such as Kiyoshi, is unprecedented. But I would imagine, however that they are similar to Sensui, as far as power goes. Either class-A or class-S power levels, without actually being a demon. Except Sensui couldn't control anything other than his aura; he didn't have any demonic abilities; Kiyoshi is fast developing skills in controlling plants."

Muttering to himself, Koenma said, "What am I going to do, what am I going to do?"

"I don't think it matters much, sir." Botan said quietly.

"And why not?"

"They've accepted Kurama's challenge, whether you approve or not."

"They did _what_?!"

* * *

"You did _what_?!" Yusuke shouted.

"Sent them a letter," Kurama said again.

"_Why_?"

"It's been too long since anyone even came this close to being a worthy intellectual opponent."

"So this is just you playing games?"

"Pretty much. Playing games and doing an experiment."

"An experiment?"

"First of all, one of those children is a descendant of you and Keiko; another is Yukina's; the third is Shizuru's; the last is Shiori's. And Shiori's descendant is my experiment. He—or she—is an awakening copycat demon."

"A copycat demon? You have _got_ to be kidding, Kurama."

"Not in the slightest. But I did make it perfectly clear that, should they attempt to take us to Koenma, it would be _their_ funerals they were arranging. They should realize that our power vastly exceeds their own."

"You actually succeeded in creating a copycat?" Hiei sounded impressed, which was rare enough that even Yusuke and Kurama were surprised by it, and they had been living with Hiei for a century and a half. "From everything I've heard, anyone who has tried it has failed."

"I believe I have succeeded because one of the humans has a strange control over plants; nothing on me, of course, but more than any human should have."

"Wait," Yusuke said, "Did you say _Shizuru_, as in _Kuwabara's sister_?"

"Yes…"

Yusuke groaned. "I don't think I'm ready for that."

"Wuss." Hiei muttered.

"I'm not sure I am either. But I weighed seeing him against not meeting my copycat. You know what I chose. I'll leave them a note here when we leave, directing them to our next camp. If they can't find us, then they're _not_ worth our time or trouble."

Yusuke nodded. "I only hope for Koenma's and that team's sake that this isn't simply history repeating itself, because I'm getting a strange sense of de jávu, only we're on the opposite side of the fence now; the Reikai Tentai confronting multiple powerful enemies, resulting in the death of one, after which the other three disappear. Mostly for Koenma's sake."

"As do I, Yusuke, as do I."


	8. Chapter Seven

I'm back! This chapter took FOREVER to write. But I am really, really, really happy with it! :) I only own Kiyoshi, Kasumi, Takeshi, and Akiko. Oh yeah, and this chapter, I own Mizuko. This is going to get interesting, I promise. This chapter creates a new wrinkle even I, the author, didn't know was coming. Okay, just to clarify, I, as the author, have no control whatsoever over what my characters are going to do. They do it of their own accord and I write it down. To a certain extent I can predict how the story will go... but only up to the point that I have ALREADY WRITTEN. They may BELONG to me, but that isn't the same as them doing what I think they should. They do whatever is most appropriate for them. Thank you for your time.

You can either read this next bit or skip to the story. I just need to rant. I hope no one take offense to this... FRESHMEN ARE STUPID. Not as individuals, but as a general group. They have no idea what their doing or where they're supposed to be going and solve this issue by getting in EVERYONE'S way so that NO ONE can get to where they need to go. And on top of that they don't LISTEN SO THEY CAN FIGURE IT OUT. Sorry if you're a freshmen. I hate freshmen as a group; I hated freshmen and thought they were stupid when I was a freshman. Enough said. Now on with the story.

* * *

They had been traveling for what felt like weeks, although in reality it had really only been four days. Kiyoshi had easily led them out of the forest, without any mishaps. But now they were in for a test they hadn't predicted. The path Kurama had led them to was the same one he, Yusuke, and Hiei had traveled. And it included a canyon, heated by a sun too close for comfort. The heat was reinforced by a complete lack of water and wind. Dead heat.

And that created a test of nerves. Not because the actual lack of water and air movement was a problem for the team. But because having no water nearby made Akiko more than a little irritable. And an irritated Akiko was about as safe as an irritated Hiei.

Angrily leading the group through the canyon, Akiko had run out of water. Her element being ice, she need water on a constant basis in order to control it. And being weak, even temporarily, was not something that agreed with Akiko's personality.

So when the three began having trouble keeping up with her quick, angry strides, she snapped. Takeshi had merely paused for a drink of water, only to find Akiko glaring at him and shouting, "You don't need to stop! Keep on moving!" He nodded his head quickly.

However, along with her control of ice, Akiko's sixth sense had diminished due to how dehydrated she was. So when both Takeshi and Kiyoshi yelled, "Duck!" she was surprised and looked around, instead of doing as suggested. Kasumi did the same. But, suddenly, both of them were knocked to the ground. Kasumi by Kiyoshi, Akiko by Takeshi. The boys had tackled them, helping them narrowly avoid having their heads taken off by the six demons flying down over their heads.

When the demons saw that they had missed their prey, they narrowed their eyes. Each had six. Six eyes, four antennae, nine legs, three sets of wings. They were nothing more than monster insects. "Three humans and a demon." _Speaking_ monster insects. The largest, the leader, spoke again, "And the demon is weakened. Very much so." He cackled loudly, revealing five sharp rows of teeth.

Suddenly from behind them came Kasumi's voice. No one had seen her move, she had moved to where she now was so quickly. "_Not_ a human. A throwback. A _throwback_!"

As Kasumi distracted them, Kiyoshi slunk over to Akiko and Takeshi. "Drink these. And Takeshi's. We can do without. But we need your help. And your ice." Although not happy taking orders or accepting help—the reason she hadn't taken a drink when the others had offered before—Akiko nodded and did as he said.

Then, as they were surrounding Kasumi, Kiyoshi and Takeshi appeared by her side, although they weren't fast in the way Kasumi had been fast. And Kasumi was still angry. "_Not a human!_" she hollered again. What was with this girl and becoming the demon her genes coded for? "_A throwback_!"

From next to her, Kiyoshi smiled calmly, coldly. "Not a human. A copycat."

The leader seemed to find this amusing. "A copycat. Also known as a legend, a story, a myth." Turning to Takeshi he added, "I suppose you think you're a demon merely disguising itself with a human aura?"

"No. Why would I want to do that anyway? It would just attract a lot of lowlife scum like yourselves." Takeshi spit on the ground in front of where the massive bugs had landed a few minutes before.

Before they had a chance to respond to Takeshi's open challenge—or insult—Akiko's aura began resonating something fierce from behind them. And the water seemed to have revived it with more force than ever before. Because her anger was boosting it farther than anyone would have imagined. "Weak?" she asked, her voice so quiet a breath of wind could have blown it away. "You think I'm _weak_? Well not any more!"

She sent an icicle toward the largest bug, too quickly for him to be able to dodge. It lodged itself in his forehead, one end sticking out from either side of his head. "Not weak?" he began, "Your attack didn't even kill—" His insult was cut short by the explosion of the icicle, sending brains and blood and ice flying in every direction.

In a gesture that could have meant her death, Akiko turned her back on the remaining demons. She then said, "I suggest you flee if you value your lives." They looked at her a moment, then at the calm grin on Kiyoshi's face showing he didn't fear them, at Takeshi's determined grimace, and finally at Kasumi's deadly glare and glowing finger.

Then they leaped into the air, flying away from the strange group. Unfortunately for the last one off the ground, killing their leader and running them off wasn't enough for Kasumi. And the Reigun blast she shot at it was more powerful than any she had summoned before.

A shower of blood became the first rainfall the canyon had seen in centuries, and the blue green blood of the insect was quickly absorbed into the parched canyon floor.

Kiyoshi was staring after Akiko. Something he had noticed, something he was sure Akiko had noticed, something he was sure the other had not noticed, was troubling his mind. That icicle hadn't so much _shattered_ as it had _exploded_. And heat was necessary for an explosion. But when ice and heat met, ice melted, it didn't explode. Akiko's icicle hadn't melted, but sent shards of ice flying in every direction. Which meant something other than ice had been involved in that attack.

And Kiyoshi suspected that it was Akiko's unknown motive for accompanying him and the others into the more dangerous reaches of the demon plane.

Since the day his team had turned off their communicators and disappeared, Koenma had been working nonstop, attempting to keep his mind off of them. He had fallen asleep only once, still at his desk, nodding off from sheer exhaustion. Except those three blissful hours of dreamless sleep, he had thrown himself into his tedious work. Instead of letting others find the files for him, he searched for them himself in order to prolong the job.

And the number of objects astounded him as he continued counting. It wasn't completely accurate for the number of significant items they had recovered, because Koenma was required to file a report for _every_ item he recovered, including items such as the top and the six-inch-high set of completely ordinary nesting dolls. "1682… 1683… 1684…"

Kiyoshi followed the others from a distance of about two meters. Still worried about the scene earlier in the day, his mind attempted to understand the event. He hardly noticed it when they finally stepped out of the canyon into what appeared to be vast rolling hills of purple grass.

"Don't let it touch your bare skin." Akiko said. "My mother and teacher both warned me of this. _Growing anywhere and of a violent shade, Do not touch lest in death you would be repaid_."

Hearing Akiko recite this verse in a voice touched slightly by what sounded to be fear, Kasumi and Takeshi pulled up their socks and tucked their pants into their shoes. Kiyoshi did the same before retrieving six plastic bags from his pack. Placing three one inside the other, he filled the innermost one with soil. The other three he placed around his right hand. He then pulled several shoots of grass up and replanted them in the bag before sealing each of the six around them.

Seeing the nervously raised eyebrows of the others, he explained, barely looking at them as he packed the deadly plant away into a pocket of his bag. "I don't yet have the ability to summon plants or wield them as weapons. With a specimen such as this, merely growing it at an explosive rate could be a deadly weapon." The others nodded their understanding; Akiko's slightly-tilted head and still-raised eyebrows said she had never met anyone this intelligent who was still so strange.

Back with Koenma…

"1713… 1714… 1715… 1716…"

Passing over the violet, grassy knolls quickly and carefully turned out to be more difficult than the group had anticipated.

Not all of the grass was as short as the shoots Kiyoshi had placed in the plastic bags. Some of them were waist high, or higher. They were all thankful, however, that these plants had not been bewitched or influenced in any way by their adversary.

And, as if Akiko's warning hadn't been enough, the hills were strewn with bodies poisoned by the plants they had so unwisely touched. Skeletons whose flesh had been eaten by the innocent-looking purple blades surrounding them. In her quiet voice Akiko said, "The blades are just that—blades. They can cut very little other than skin, but when they sense that they have sliced into something, they release a poison. It works to turn your aura against you; the more you have, the quicker it kills you." They were getting closer to the center, yet the number of skeletons didn't seem to lessen. "These poor saps obviously didn't have much, to have crawled so far before dying. It's supposedly very painful."

Suddenly, a demon appeared. He was of about Kasumi's height, but more powerful than any of the individuals in front of him, if not the entire group combined. "To cross my master's lands you must prove you are worthy."

Akiko rolled her eyes. "How so? And who is this master of yours, anyways?"

"At least one of you must pick some of this grass." He said, ignoring Akiko's second question.

"A suicide mission, eh?" Kasumi muttered sarcastically. Then they all looked at Kiyoshi, who silently pulled his plastic bag out of the pack slung over his left shoulder.

"Like this?" he questioned quietly, in the unassuming voice he always used, that had a tendency to make others feel like he was weaker than was actually true.

The demon in front of them paled visibly, nodding. "You carry a _live_ specimen of the violet poison with you?"

Kiyoshi nodded. Takeshi took a step toward the demon. The demon blinked and there was a sword consisting of nothing but aura at his throat. Although he was stronger than the individuals, he knew he couldn't defeat them as a group. "Kasumi?" Takeshi asked.

Kasumi grinned evilly. "Take us to this master of yours and we _might_ spare your life."

"1851… 1852… 1853… 1854… 1855… 1856… 1857…"

The demon did as Kasumi demanded and soon they had reached a towering building of luminescent green stones. Inside, they were led up a steep flight of stairs before their guide rapped his knuckles on a set of heavy wooden doors, inlaid with silver and gold filings.

Letting himself in, he announced them. "Um, a group outside wishes an audience with you, your highness."

The voice that responded made the group's hair stand on end. It was almost a hiss. "Fine. Show them in."

He gestured to the team to go in, closing the two heavy doors behind them.

Little did they know that entering that room was one of the most dangerous things they could do. Neither did they know that doing so would involve them in a feud that had been existent for centuries before they were born. Neither did they know that stepping into that hall was a catalyst that would set of a chain of events that would lead to Kiyoshi, Kasumi, Takeshi, and Akiko being the most hated and feared group in the demon plane since Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei had disappeared. Neither did they know that entering that room would set off a chain of events making them the four people more demons wanted dead than any others.

Little did they know that entering that room was the action that would make Kiyoshi the most-talked about human in the demon plane since Yusuke had defeated Rando, Suzaku, and the younger Toguro.

"Strange."

"What's strange, Kurama?"

"I placed seeds all over the letter I sent them. The first people to read it are tagged. And they no longer follow the path I gave to them."

"Then where are they?"

Kurama's eyebrows were furrowed. "I think they've entered the palace of Mizuko."

"Mizuko?"

"She is an A-class demon, very violent." Kurama looked somber, almost worried. "I may not get the chance to meet my copycat after all." He looked disappointed.

"We could assist them."

"No. You and Hiei are far too attached to your honor."

"Meaning?"

"Although she isn't as powerful as any of us, she is underhanded, using tactics you and Hiei would never even contemplate. She does whatever it takes to get what she wants, whether it's fair or not. She's a thief like myself, used to covert operations and extreme trickery. The only one of us who would be suited to handle her way of fighting would be me. I long since gave up doing things fairly, unless doing so benefited me, or suited my purpose. I never cared what people thought of me, so long as they feared me and respected me, even if the latter was borne solely from the previous."

"So why can't we take her? I think I missed that part."

"Yusuke," Kurama said sharply, "As Genkai's pupil and Raizen's son you should understand better than anyone that sheer power does _not_ necessarily win a fight! Intelligence is required as well. Especially when fighting someone like Mizuko who uses as much treachery to win a fight as regular old combat skills."

"Then clarify for me; why can't _you_ take her, with me and Hiei as backup?"

Kurama's eyes suddenly lost any light they had contained, shading and hiding his thoughts and emotions. His mouth and nose also settled, creating a mask of perfect indifference. He turned away from the other two, saying, "I'm not stupid enough to think I could defeat her again."

Hiei's eyes narrowed. "So it's Mizuko that hates your guts."

"What?" Yusuke asked, taken aback and slightly confused, but not at all surprised he wasn't privy to all Kurama's secrets, even after a hundred and fifty years.

As Hiei prepared to answer, Kurama's eyes flashed in a silent warning, but Hiei didn't even blink. "There was once a young female demon in Kurama's past. She fell in love with him, charmed him, seduced him. He broke away before anything happened and broke her heart in doing so. Her hurt and anger soon developed into a hateful jealousy of all Kurama had accomplished in the world of thieves. And that jealousy she harbored quickly developed into sheer hatred and resentment."

Kurama's eyes were filled with fire. "I could never stand her personality; she's flamboyant, ostentatious. Never a good quality in a thief. But I was always attracted to her, physically at least. She used that in a fight when I was attempting to steal something from her father. She used it as one of her deceitful techniques. She used my physical attraction to her to seduce me. I managed to escape her that time. But she's more powerful now. I wouldn't be able to begin resister her… charms again, until it was far to late to escape."


	9. Chapter Eight

ForbiddenChildLover64 (aka, the author of this fic): Yeah. So I'm back. Yay! This chapter took FOREVER to write. I always write my stories down on paper first, so when I type them I can add to them and edit simultaneously for the final product. Normally it takes about an hour (max) to write four pages down on paper. Four pages of this chapter took nearly TWO hours. Wonderful. And it's eleven pages long. So that means it took (approximately) five hours. Hmmm… that seems like a lot. But as I wrote this on different days, it didn't feel like that long. And sorry if it's a bit hard to read. And as for the length of time it's been since I last updated... Well, when I get writer's block I don't update. I know this chapter was already written, but I was so stuck that just thinking about the story made me mad. And I've been a bit depressed. So, I apologize for all of that. And, just so you know, the chapters for this story are probably going to be coming more and more infrequently because my postings are finally catching up to where I've written to. Thought I'd give you a heads up on that one... there are only... Never mind. I lied. There are still 3 unposted but written chapters after this before the one I'm currently working on. Oh, and this chapter is dedicated to my friend Mike, because he paces like Koenma does in this chapter (except not just when he's nervous).

Mizuko: Like ranting much? Jussst ssso you know, it getsss old.

FCL64: You can shut up. I don't even like you. I normally like all my OCs, even my villains. My villains in particular in some of my stories. But in this story, I the OCs that I like are Akiko, Kiyoshi, Kasumi, and Takeshi. It took a lot to make Mizuko dislikable, and creepy, even to me. Because I don't like Mizuko at—

animegrlsteph (aka, one of the author's best friends): Mizuko! Let me at her! I'm gonna kill her!

FCL64 (holding animegrlsteph back by the arms): Um, yes. We all know that. But you can't kill her…

animegrlsteph: And why not?

FCL64: She's part of the story and you're not?

animegrlsteph (sulking): So?

FCL64: You two don't exactly exist in the same dimension? She only exists on paper and you're, let's see, REAL maybe?

animegrlsteph (glaring): I still want to kill her!

(chaos ensues as animegrlsteph breaks free from FCL64's hands and begins chasing Mizuko around the room. Soon Mizuko is caught and pinned to the ground.)

FCL64: I'm thinking now would be a good time to cut this short and begin the story, so I don't end up with either an injured best friend or a dead character who is actually important in the next couple chapters.

(Mizuko suddenly disappears, as she is sucked back into the story. animegrlsteph looks at FCL64 from the empty space where Mizuko was.)

animegrlsteph: I was just about to kill her.

FCL64 (smiling innocently, which frightens animegrlsteph): That's why the story starts now. Since she is in the story, where you can't kill her, because I control everything.

* * *

"She," Takeshi said as soon as he saw the girl on the throne at the center of the room, "is hot." She had ebony hair that shimmered down to her waist. Her skin was pale, although she had nothing on Akiko when it came to lack of color. Her clothes were so tight Kasumi couldn't figure out how she got them on without tearing them. They couldn't make out details from the distance they were at, but soon she stood. And in a matter of seconds she was behind Takeshi, running a blood red nail that seemed to have been filed to a point along the boys throat. He shivered. "Creepy, but hot."

Beyond the nails, there were any number of things Takeshi could have determined to be creepy. Her tight clothes made it obvious she carried at least three daggers, a sword, and several throwing stars on her person, even in her own house. Her eyes were bright yellow and the pupils were slits, together revealing almost no white. Her nose was nothing more than two slits in the center of her face. But the worst came when she hissed her reply to Takeshi's words. "Why thank you, my dear. And your name isss?" She had only four visible teeth, two on top, two on bottom. All sharp, deadly fangs. And the tongue that slipped between them was forked.

"Snake demon." Akiko spat.

The demon froze. "Indeed." This time, as she moved to square off with Akiko, Akiko and Kasumi followed her movements. She sank low to the floor without so much as a single superfluous motion, before coming back up to her full height and looking at Akiko. "And who might you be, my dear?"

Akiko drew herself up to her full height—which, admittedly, wasn't that tall—and made so bold as to say, "You are our hostess. I am under no obligation to introduce myself until you have done so."

"You are the onesss who demanded an audiencssse with me."

"You are the one who accepted."

The snake demon smiled in delight, her tongue flicking out to taste the air. Moving from one side of Akiko to the other and back again, she said, running the tips of her fingers up Akiko's left arm, "Ssso calm. Ssso sssure. Ssso fiercssse. Ssso young. Ssso beautiful. How delightful." Akiko didn't look at the demon next to her, didn't give her the satisfaction of knowing she was seriously creeped out. In response to the lack of expression on her face, the demon said, "I am Mizuko. Now will you introducssse yourssself?

"Akiko."

"How interesssting. And powerful. Akiko she sssaysss. You would be the Icssse Maiden child prodigy from the north then, no? Thisss isss even more interesssting than I had thought it would be when I permitted your entry." Her eyes sparkled with delight. "But do tell me, who are your dear human friendsss?"

"Kasumi, Takeshi, Kiyoshi. We are _not_ friends."

"Then why are they here? I have never heard of any of them. And neither do I percssseive a threatening aura from any of them."

Before Kasumi could react to what she was sure to consider an insult, Akiko said, "As for being a child prodigy… that is a load of crap. I'm not even the best demon our tribe has ever produced, not that any of _them_ knows that." As her rant continued she seemed to be talking to herself more and more as the four others in the room listened with interest. "I am only C—C!—nearly twenty years after my birth. Upper C, admittedly, and enough to have attained the rank of Ice Master. But no where near the level of abilities of my role model. _He_ had earned the Reikai classification of A a mere _five_ years after his birth."

The girl in front of them had never once stopped moving during Akiko's rant or the conversation before it, side to side, from in front of them to behind them. But Kasumi's next words made her stop in her tracks. "You may not have heard of us personally, but I'm sure you've heard of our predecessors. Also known as the Reikai Tentai, they were Kuwabara, Urameshi, Hiei, and Kurama." The flash in Mizuko's eyes was one of recognition, not fear as Kasumi had been aiming for.

She recovered her composure and hissed at Kasumi, "The Reikai Tentai, you sssay. How intriguing. That meansss you all are not jussst run-of-the-mill humansss, but could actually posssesssss sssome ssspiritual fortitude. And what isss your purpossse in Makai, ssso far away from Koenma'sss watchful and protective eye?"

Although it was Kasumi who had been asked the question, and Akiko who had started the conversation, it was Kiyoshi who answered. Although revealing the truth held a possible risk, it was more likely that it would force Mizuko to reveal the true reasons for her sudden interest in their plans. But only if he worded it just right. "We are here to search for Kurama."

"I sssee. Perhapsss I could offer you sssome asssissstancssse. Do you have any idea asss to where he might be?"

"As a matter of fact, we do. He sent us a letter, with instructions to one of his dens. We got lost."

Her eyes were hooded almost before Kiyoshi saw what was in them next. Greed. And bloodlust. "Let me sssee thessse directionsss of yoursss. If I underssstand them, I will provide you with an essscort."

Kiyoshi handed her the map, pointing to a thin line of red paint leading from a circle to an X. Pointing to the X, he said, "This is where we started. By now Koenma has removed any treasure from it."

She glanced over the map before cackling. "You foolsss! Did you really think that I, Mizuko, would help anyone loyal to the brat sssitting on the underworld'sss throne? Not a chancssse! By showing me thisss map, you have sssealed your fate!"

Akiko grinned, realizing that Kiyoshi's words and actions had been a ploy to force her to reveal her position on the most important matter at hand. And Akiko was pleased to have an excuse to fight this obnoxious snake demon. She sent waves of ice toward Mizuko. Unfortunately, it proved to be extremely ineffective.

Mizuko jumped, moving her legs together in a way that seemed to turn them into one extended limb, lashing out at her opponent's attack, obliterating it with nothing more than simple martial arts, before landing on two obviously separate appendages with extreme grace.

"None of you is a match for me. Ssso why bother? Facssse death, kneel before it, accsssept it!"

"Never." Vowed Kasumi. "If I die, I die. If I die, it will seal _your_ fate. Because you aren't powerful enough to beat my grandfather, whose blood runs in my veins."

"Calm, Kasumi," Kiyoshi reminded her. "Don't tempt her. Although, a transformation dramatic as that could make this infinitely more interesting than what amounts to a fight of two demons and two humans against a demon more powerful than any of the others."

"Do my earsss decssseive me? _Two_ demonsss? I think _not_." Mizuko spat at them.

"No, it's not," Kiyoshi agreed. "But it _amounts_ to essentially the same thing." He walked a few feet to an ivy that was climbing the wall. Gently, gently, he wound some around his fingers. And suddenly the ivy was growing fast enough that you could see the progress it was making as it moved up the wall.

Mizuko's eyes widened. "What manner of trickery isss thisss?"

* * *

As if he had some internal device that warned him that his team was in danger, Koenma had stopped his filing of reports only minutes after Kasumi had demanded to meet Mizuko. He walked back and forth, pacing over the same stretch of floor so much that Botan finally said, "Master Koenma, sir, if you don't quit pacing, we'll need to re-carpet your office floor."

He nodded once but didn't seem to really register what she had said, as he continued to pace.

* * *

"Kurama's kind," Kiyoshi responded to Mizuko's inquiry.

"Kurama sssent you?" Her eyes could no longer conceal the hatred that was also evident in her voice.

"No, he didn't send us." Kiyoshi responded evenly, betraying not the slightest hint of fear. "In fact, we have never even met him."

"Then what trickery do you mean?" Mizuko demanded. "And what of the transssformation you ssspoke of, in which the girl'sss death would ensssure _my_ fate?"

"First of all, do you know what a throwback is?" The light of understanding in her eyes was enough of an answer. "The grandfather Kasumi spoke of was a demon with a classification of S; the demon who was none other than Yusuke Urameshi."

"I sssee. But how isss Kurama involved in thisss?"

Kiyoshi's eyes darkened while simultaneously filling with light. This contradictory state was produced by an extreme dislike of what he was about to say combining with a nervous energy and excitement. A hatred combined with a slightly evil enjoyment. "Have you, by any chance, ever heard the phrase _copycat demon_?"

"Impossssible!" Her voice, little more than a whisper, conveyed her astonishment at being faced by something thought to exist as nothing more than a legend.

"Is it, Mizuko? Is it really? How else would I have achieved what I just did?" Kiyoshi asked, his ever-calm demeanor and strange confidence wearing on Mizuko's nerves.

Her eyes had become crazed. They were awash with fear, paranoia, bloodlust, greed. Hatred. "He'sss here, watching usss, hiding himssself, waiting for me to let my guard down! But I won't! I'll kill you four firssst, then ssseek him out and kill him! For real thisss time, ssso he can't jussst flee in sssoul form! And anyone who'sss with him! Then I'll take your map and sssteal Kurama'sss treasssure for myssself!" She cackled loudly. Then her eyes hardened in frightening determination.

"I wouldn't count on that." Kasumi replied just as loudly. "If you haven't noticed, there are four of us and only one of you."

"Do you really think I don't have ssservantsss who are willing to fight to the death to achieve my goalsss?"

"Not any that can get through any of these doors." Akiko answered. As usual, Akiko and Kiyoshi had used Kasumi's mouthing off to the fullest possible advantage it could provide them with. All the doors were frozen shut with ice that was inches thick. Covering that was an extremely tight latticework of plants.

"Perhapsss not! But now you all are trapped inssside!"

Having said these words, an explosion of sorts happened in the hall. Akiko sent ice flying at Mizuko, who blocked it deftly before transforming into a giant snake with three-inch-long fangs.

* * *

"They're still in her palace." Kurama's voice was worried.

"That's good," Yusuke responded.

"No, it's really not."

"Yes, it is. If your plants can still sense them, it means they're still alive, doesn't it?"

Kurama paused before nodding slowly.

"What does it even matter?" Hiei's voice was bored.

"Have you ever done something you wished you hadn't? Or that you could least see how it turned out?" Kurama questioned him.

"No."

"…"

"Just get on with whatever it is you're trying to tell me."

"Well, I just want to find the results of the experiment. And see to what lengths his abilities mirror my own."

"But why do I have to be involved?"

"There are two guys and two girls, I think."

"So? Your point being?"

"One of the guys is my copycat, I believe, because more seeds stuck to him, suggesting an attraction between him and the plants. The only demon is female. Yukina's descendent."

Hiei's eyes narrowed. "And I care why?"

"_You_ don't. But her determination to get to us is exceeded only by my copycat's. I can think of only one reason for that. She wishes to meet you."

Hiei turned and walked away. As he went, he said, "I can't imagine why. Whatever her reason, she'll be disappointed. I don't have any intention of pretending to be something I'm not just to make one of my sister's descendents happy." Kurama and Yusuke shook their heads, unsurprised but slightly exasperated by their friend's behavior.

* * *

animegrlsteph: Why can't I kill her?

FCL64: Because you're not part of this story! I already told you that! Akiko, could you possibly freeze her, or something?

Akiko (sounding bored): No.

FCL64 (sarcastically): Thanks for the help! Well, I think I'll say goodbye before this turns ugly! (as she's dragged away by animegrlsteph, who is searching for Mizuko with murder on her mind) Read and review!!!!


	10. Chapter Nine

FCL64: I'm back! YAY! You all should be so excited! This chapter took me even longer to write than the last one! Mizuko is a very problematic character.

animegrlsteph: Does Mizuko die?

FCL64: I can't tell you.

(animegrlsteph sticks her tongue out at FCL64)

FCL64: Anyway, moving along. I own Kiyoshi, Akiko, Takeshi, Kasumi, and Mizuko. Which is half of the characters in this chapter… but that's not the point. The point is, other than those five, I don't own anyone.

animegrlsteph: Nobody cares! Just get on with the story so we can see Mizuko die a slow and painful death!

FCL64: No one ever said she dies…

animegrlsteph (twitching): She doesn't die?! You're kidding me! No! This can't be happening!

FCL64: Uhhh… Okay then. Anyway, here's the next installment of 1 Dead, 3 Missing.

* * *

At the end of Mizuko's transformation, Kiyoshi flinched backwards, the sudden onslaught of aura almost more than he could handle. But the four of them took it in stride, almost too quickly for Mizuko to see their hesitation. Almost. "I sssee that you are beginning to realize that weaklingsss sssuch asss yourssselvesss are no match for me!"

"Weaker does not mean weak!" Akiko exploded, infuriated by the insult in Mizuko's words. The other three adjusted their positions, as if their feet had been burned. "And, in case you hadn't figured this out, brute force does not necessarily win a fight! Strategy is also involved. It is possible for the weakest warrior to obtain a victory over the strongest opponent."

"How clever." Mizuko replied sarcastically. "But pretty wordsss don't win fightsss, either."

Akiko flung her arm out, her thumb and first two fingers extended, muttering under her breath. Layers of black ice covered the floor, their slick surface made harder to walk on by the constant changing of layers. Irregularities where a thin layer of ice began or ended. But Mizuko didn't seem fazed in the slightest. "Don't you know how sssnakesss move, little girl?" She questioned, slithering toward Akiko without a problem. "Ssscalesss on our undersssidesss grip irregularitiesss. By flexing csssertain mussscles, we ussse thossse to propel ourssselvesss forward."

"And you're particularly stupid for telling me that." The ice shifted, no longer multiple layers, but instead one smooth, glass-like sheet.

"Ssso you sssay." Mizuko continued moving across the ice, albeit she _was_ moving a bit slower, a bit more carefully. Suddenly, spikes of ice erupted out of the ground and Mizuko was only narrowly able to dodge some of them. Only one hit her, piercing through a point about three feet from the end of her long body. The tip immediately splintered into five, each arcing over or under at least two others before burying itself back into the floor. Mizuko immediately turned and threw her entire weight at the dome, but nothing happened. Not so much as a single chip of ice came out of the entire glistening structure.

"So I know." Akiko replied evenly. "That ice has been solidified to be at least three times harder than diamond. And the ice itself, if not the air around it, is extremely close to absolute zero."

Suddenly, Mizuko lunged at her, the deadly fangs sinking deep into Akiko's shoulder.

Akiko fell to the ground, but the ice miraculously remained in place, and Mizuko remained attached to it. "It's so cold, in fact, that mere contact with it is slowly freezing your body from the inside to be as solid as itself," Akiko explained, panting. Turning to the group she was with, she added, breathless from pain, "I'll maintain the ice… as long as possible… try to avoid… touching it… but you must… you must… kill her before… before I lose consciousness… or she'll slowly… she slowly thaw and… regain… full mobility."

Kiyoshi's resolve hardened, his doubts at killing another living being dissolving. Takeshi said, his aura sword appearing, "We will avenge you, Akiko."

Some of Akiko's strength returned momentarily as she shouted, "I'm not dead, you idiot!"

Kiyoshi glanced at Kasumi, who was strangely mute, and said, "Careful, Kasumi. You only have four."

"And I intend to make them count."

"Can you and Takeshi hold her off for a few minutes?" Kasumi nodded, so Kiyoshi continued, "Be careful. Attack from a distance whenever you can. Her tail may be anchored to that one point, but she still has a long reach." Glancing at Akiko he added, "And I doubt any of us three has the capacity to handle whatever venom is in those fangs—and Mizuko probably has a lot more of it. Because Akiko is in a lot more pain than she is letting on."

Both Kasumi and Takeshi, who had been listening, nodded, heeding Kiyoshi's warnings. They were all facing Mizuko, just out of range of her perilous bite. She had coiled, ready to strike, facing them and said, "How sssweet. A lassst, heartfelt goodbye. Sssickening!"

Kasumi whispered a question to Takeshi, who nodded. He then took several steps forward, to come within range of Mizuko's venomous fangs. "A sssacrificssse, eh?" Knowing she could move faster, Mizuko lunged. But somehow, she was the one who got hit.

She had dived into the path of a Reigun blast. And instead of tearing Takeshi's head and shoulders off, she was knocked toward the other wall. Unfortunately, her head jerked at the last second. And instead of being thrown up against the wall, the massive snakes head caught Takeshi in the stomach and the momentum carried them both into the stones forming the walls of the room.

And Takeshi was the one who came away worse off.

* * *

Botan was fretting about the degree to which Koenma was fretting. She had seen him like this only once before. That was the night Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei had disappeared. That was the night Kuwabara had died.

"Koenma, sir. You must remain calm. I have instructed all of the ferry-girls to come to me immediately if one or more of them shows up in the underworld."

"Go find them, Botan."

"How, sir? What you're proposing I do is single-handedly located not only seven intelligent people who don't want to be found, but also that I find them when they're most likely in one of Kurama's treasure stashes. Only one of those has ever been found, sir, ever, and that was on accident. It was almost impossible to get into and, according to Kurama's letter, was the easiest to access. And, on top of all that, they have disappeared in Makai, nearly all of which is uncharted." Botan looked panicked at the thought of what she had just been asked to do, but Koenma's next words relieved her a bit, by showing her he had seen enough sense to not send her to look for them.

They were, "Damn it."

* * *

Takeshi was able to stand up, but there was a cut above his left eye from the force of the impact. As he tried to summon his sword again, the effort doing so took made him collapse. Using the wall to pull himself up, he prepared himself for another attempt. But Kasumi stopped him, shouting, "Takeshi, no! Don't expend yourself, or you'll get yourself killed! Just stay out of range and let us handle it!" He nodded, collapsing a short distance away from Akiko, who was growing ever paler, moment by moment.

By now, Mizuko had realized that they had been right; it was in fact _she_ who was at the disadvantage. The best she could hope for was that the headstrong ice demon would succumb to her poison before these two creatures from legend could kill her. All of them working together, they were easily the strangest group she'd ever seen. A human. A demon. A throwback. And a copycat, of all things. And, unfortunately for her, they were all undeniably talented.

"Thanks Kasumi. I can take her from here."

"You can take me? Alone?" Mizuko hissed, giving serious thought to being insulted as she moved to look at the boy behind her. And when they saw him, all four of them were stunned. Kiyoshi's face and arms were covered with cuts, all inflamed and bleeding. Several bruises were blooming along his fingers and above his eyes. Yet he hadn't involved himself in the fight with Mizuko yet.

Before he could respond, Kasumi gasped, "Kiyoshi, what happened?"

Looking her in the eye, he said, "The violet poison happened."

Mizuko's eyes widened. "What are you? How isss it that the poissson cut you but couldn't kill you?!"

Kiyoshi bent down to pick up what appeared to be a small, blue pebble. "Not the poison, exactly. A hybrid. I cross-pollinated it with the ivy you had growing along the walls." From the seed, purple-blue vines began weaving themselves around Kiyoshi's arm.

The Mizuko laughed. "And you expect to kill me with it, even though it couldn't kill you?"

"Yes. Plants are intelligent, this variety more so than most. You just need to learn to listen to them, so that they can communicate with you. It knows it wouldn't exist at all if not for my assistance. When it tried to kill me, it didn't use it's full poison. Because it can adjust how much it injects, unlike the grass. It was testing me. I attained dominance over it. Then I made it grow faster and collected its seeds before killing it. Its seeds will not harm me, nor any of their seeds. This variety of plant will never be dangerous to me. But to anyone other than myself, they are actually more dangerous than the violet poison, _because_ they can alter the amount of venom they inject. That's why these cuts didn't kill me; they intentionally didn't inject enough."

The fear in Mizuko's eyes was evident, especially when Kiyoshi said, "Kasumi, Akiko, Takeshi. I suggest you three move as far away as possible." Quickly, Kasumi helped Akiko and Takeshi do as he said, knowing that it was safest to follow Kiyoshi's advice whenever possible.

Then six plants erupted around Mizuko, attacking her and pinning her to the floor. She screamed as the ivy form of the deadly grass outside her castle cut into her skin and she felt their deadly venom seeping through her veins. Kiyoshi merely watched, the plant he had demonstrated with twining itself around his arms and neck like a pet snake, his eyes frighteningly devoid of any sympathy.

* * *

Suddenly and without warning, Koenma returned to his desk and quietly began filing reports again. "1892… 1893… 1894…"

"Sir, are you all right?" Botan asked.

He sighed. "Yes. I just decided to have confidence that they can handle whatever they run into. And to accept the fact that even if they can't, there is nothing I can do to help them. It's better for everyone if I just pretend like nothing is wrong."

Botan nodded and walked quietly out of the room. Even if he hadn't, she had noticed a pattern in how worried he got. It directly correlated to how much danger the team happened to be in, whether he knew of the danger or not. She had deduced that he had a strange connection to his team, on that couldn't be broken. And the fact that he was calm meant one of three things; either they had either escaped the danger, they had gained the upper hand if they were fighting, or they had been killed. She knew it couldn't be the last. She smiled. Koenma had decided upon the right people for the job. "1895… 1896… 1897… 1898… 1899… 1900… 1901…"

* * *

Mizuko screamed again. To her it felt as if a fire were burning through her veins, a cold more intense than the girl Akiko's ice following it closely. She was capable of only a small amount of thought. The first thing that registered was that she was going to die. She screamed, words coming out without her consciously deciding to utter them, "How isss thisss possssible?!"

And she heard the boy Kiyoshi's voice, as did the other three in the room. It was as cold and hard as his eyes. But mostly it was cruel and mocking. "I already explained thisss. A hybrid. And jussst ssso you know, I have a very low tolerancssse for ssstupid quessstionsss."

And Mizuko's screams were suddenly replaced with a deathly silence, a silence even more oppressive than her bloodcurdling screams had been. The only thing moving was the purple-blue plant on Kiyoshi's arm.

* * *

Suddenly Kurama leaped up from the place he had been lying on the ground and began to pace. "That can't be possible!"

Kurama's sudden movements had startled Yusuke, but were barely enough to make Hiei open his eyes. "What is it, Kurama?" Yusuke asked, almost afraid to know the answer.

"My copycat's aura temporarily _overshadowed_ the powerful aura that had to have been Mizuko's. And then hers disappeared completely!"

"You mean they _killed_ her?" Yusuke asked, propping himself up on his elbows to look at Kurama.

Kurama stopped pacing and looked at Yusuke. The golden-eyed stare that seemed to pierce into Yusuke, seemed to see to his very soul, made him uncomfortable. But his obvious discomfort didn't seem to register on Kurama's radar as he said, "No. I think _he_ killed her."

"_Alone_?"

"Yes."

"That can't be possible!" Yusuke said, echoing Kurama's first words.

"I didn't foresee this. This experiment… it may not have been such a good idea. If this kind of power is what he wields… if he isn't like you, Yusuke, kind deep down… I might have unleashed a monster on all three of the realms. Because I believe he almost single-handedly defeated a demon with the classification of A. And he's _human_, meaning there is no reason Koenma could make him stay in Makai."

"But like I said," Hiei grinned, closing his eyes again, "It'll be the most fun we've had since Kuwabara died." Kurama and Yusuke winced at Hiei's blunt reminder of why they had been avoiding Koenma for a century and a half.

* * *

But, privately, they both agreed with him.

FCL64: That's that chapter. It took forever to write, but I'm very happy with it.

animegrlsteph (pouting): Why couldn't I have killed Mizuko?

FCL64 (sighs): Fine.

(FCL64 snaps her fingers and Mizuko appears)

animegrlsteph (laughing maniacally): I'm going to kill you! Again!

(Akiko, Kiyoshi, Kasumi, and Takeshi walk in)

Takeshi (staring after animegrlsteph and Mizuko, who has been chased out of the room): I thought Kiyoshi killed her.

(at the same time) Kiyoshi: I did. FCL64: He did.

Kasumi: Then who was that?

FCL64: Mizuko.

Kasumi, Kiyoshi, and Takeshi: What?

FCL64: I'm the author. I can do whatever I want.

Akiko: Obviously. And, if that was Mizuko, what, may I ask, is that?

(Akiko points to a body on the other side of the room that looks suspiciously like Mizuko)

FCL64: Mizuko.

Kasumi: Come on! Just explain what's going on!

FCL64: Animegrlsteph is chasing an illusion. She's human, but unlike Kiyoshi, she doesn't have weird plant-powers.

Kasumi: Plant-powers?

FCL64: Yes. Now shut up. So I sent her after something that would let her think she had killed Mizuko, without her endangering herself any more than she does by hanging out with me.

Kasumi, Takeshi, and Kiyoshi: Okaaaaaaaay then.

(They run away.)

FCL64: Hey, where'd you guys go?

Akiko: You know, if you were any more unobservant you probably wouldn't realize that you were the one writing the story.

FCL64: You sound like my dad. Yesterday he told me that if my head wasn't attached I'd forget it…

Akiko: I'm not going to argue that one…

FCL64: Hey, that's not nice!

Akiko: I'm not nice. You're the one who made me that way.

(FCL64 sticks her tongue out at Akiko. Akiko freezes her tongue.)

FCL64: HEY! Nod nithe! Bye everyone!


	11. Bonus Chapter: Part One

This is bonus chapter part 1! YAY! It isn't anything like part 2 (which is what happens when I get bored). But you need to understand who Mindy is for part 2. My friend wrote this story for English (the only requirement was that it actually have a plot, and that it didn't use excessive bad language). There are no characters in here that I own; my friend owns them all. YAY, Pirate! Oh yeah, if you don't want to read this, you don't have to. It's just one of those times when I'm not feeling the enthusiasm for the story so pointless babble comes out. But in part 2, that pointless babble involves Mindy. Thus necessitating that you know who she is. And if you ever read this Pirate, I apologize with adapting the format to fit the format I was writing this particular story in. Except for the P.O.V. switches. I didn't change that ('cause that would have been, like, totally stupid, or, like, something). If you don't get what's in the parentheses, just read the story.

* * *

**Ivy P.O.V.**

I'm bored. Really REALLY bored. I feel like turning on the TV. Ugg… Nothing good. Just a Musical about nonconformity. People dancing around, shouting "Don't tell me what to do!" OMG. Bite me. I'll probably hear all about this tomorrow at school. School…

I forgot. I'm going to a new school tomorrow. Well, I won't have to worry too much about being dreary until the "New Girl" wears off. Personally I hope it wears off fast. Seriously, like 99.9% of people don't listen to anyone. Who wants to talk to people like that? Go and play in traffic or something while singing "High School Musical." I got totally ousted at my old school because I listened to people and took their advice. Only the teachers liked me, well, my cat Fiddlesticks likes me too…

My parents think there is something wrong with me. They don't have to constantly yell at me, because I do what they tell me to do. Scratch that. I MOSTLY do what they tell me to do. I have a couple of sneaky skills. I take Fiddlesticks out to the park all the time and my parents still think I am here! Son muy estupidos! Hey. That's a good idea. Off to the park I go!

**Mindy P.O.V.**

"Did you see that new girl?"

"Yah, she looks… different. All those other kids don't seem to notice."

I butt in, "Maybe she's one of us. I'll go and talk to her about drill team and cheerleading."

This is wonderful! I mean, maybe our group could expand. Nobody looks at me like they did my mom. My mom was, like, so popular… And I am like so … not. I have tried EVERYTHING. I am the head of the cheerleading squad and on varsity drill team. None of it matters. I am, like, shunned because I want to be popular. I know my kind are like a dying breed or something, but they could at least show some respect. I mean, I could, like, sell my outfit and buy a third world country, if any of those still exist. I had better get up and talk to her instead of daydream. It's a bad habit, and could, like, ruin my skin.  
"Hey new girl. I'm Ethalinda, but you can, like, call me Mindy. I wanted to know what kinds of clubs you are planning on joining. You might just like drill team or, like, cheerleading or something. We would LOVE you on the team."

"That's very …nice Mindy. Drill team sounds like fun. I don't know anything about dancing. Doesn't that give you fat thighs?"

"Oh, that's, like, totally false. I mean look at mine. Aren't they divine? I wear like a size 2 or something. Dance and cheer are totally good for staying fit."

"Hey New Girl! Why are you talking to her? You should come and hang out with us instead of some mean girl." This is bad. Just when I had her where I want her. Now they have to come. Why couldn't I for once, like, get a friend? Just because I want to be popular doesn't make me mean, … does it?

"Back off, Citalaly. When have I ever like, been mean? I was just asking her about drill team or cheer."

"You back off, Ethalinda. I'm the one who's her sponsor. Go and bully someone else."

"Its Mindy." I watch them walk off with the new girl. She mouths sorry back at me.

Maybe this new girl won't be, like, having to be different. Maybe.

**Ivy P.O.V.**

What was this kid's name again? Citalaly? Whoever uses names like that? All our parents give us names like that, probably to try to help us to be singular. I mean, my name was Ives. Who names their kid Ives when there is the perfectly good name of Ivy as a variation??? Oh, I think Cit-a-something is trying to communicate.

"-then just ask me."

"Yah, whatever." I reply. She looks funnily at me. I hope she didn't figure out that I wasn't listening. That really would piss her off, probably.

School was boring. Teachers taught, students chatted or passed notes all class period, and Cit-a-something won the nationals in mobile crafting. (Who cares?)

"Thud!"  
What's going on? I race around to the back entrance. There I see Mindy, surrounded by other students. She's standing in front of the drill/cheer closet, I think.

"Why did you trash our closet? We never hurt you!" Her face is red with fury.  
"Because your kind always put down everyone else. You try to put everyone in categories, and we are breaking out."  
"Ethalinda, there are no 'cheerleaders,' 'jocks,' or 'nerds' anymore. There are only singular people, all different. Its time you understood that."

"ITS MINDY! I like being a cheerleader. I like being in my box. I like being the same as others. What's wrong with that???" Mindy is almost in tears. I want to run and comfort her, but I probably shouldn't get involved.

They left.

"Whats wrong with that?" Mindy is really crying now. I decide to go over and comfort her. How can nice people be so mean?

**Mindy P.O.V.**

I totally didn't want to face Ivy today. I really didn't. So I have no idea now why I am, like, going to her locker this morning. Like, Really.

I find her trying to get into her locker or something. I take her schedule and, like, put in the combination. It opens.

"I'm sorry about the closet." Ivy looks totally embarrassed. She probably is, to have seen what, like, happened last night.

"Don't worry about it. We can always, like, get new equipment or something. What I am more worried about is you. You're totally not one of Them." None of Them would have ever comforted a Cheerleader or something like that. She totally looks down and, like, is silent for awhile, her face still red. Suddenly, she looks up, like, inspired or something.  
"If They are all different, why are They a Them?" This was totally unexpected.

"Because there is like a, a pattern to it, kind of. They are, like, all different in the same way, sort of."

"Then they aren't truly different are they?" Her face, like, totally lights up or something.

"You do have a point there. I never, like, realized that or anything. I totally doubt they even realize that."

"Then we will just have to inform them of it, won't we?"

Like, oh dear.

**Ivy P.O.V.**

Oh, what am I doing? Why did I enter this stupid Talent Showcase??? I don't have any talents. I pride myself in dabbling a bit in everything. Why am I now going to confront the whole school?

**Mindy P.O.V.**

BEST. PLAN. EVER. Everyone, and I mean everyone, comes to the Talent Showcase, because they have to, like, show everyone how they all are different. (yah, right) So, Ivy goes up there and reads her little poem and everyone is, like, inspired or something. I just totally LOVE brilliant plans!

**Ivy P.O.V.**  
It's my turn. I am so nervous. I can't believe I am doing this. How did I get talked into this? Oh no, I am walking out. Oh no, I am adjusting the microphone. Oh no, I am reading my poem. Calm face, Ivy. You can do this.

"Once upon a time  
In a town very near  
Something was happening  
That was very queer."

People snicker. I ignore Them and continue.

"Everyone was different,  
'Cuz that's what was cool.  
But it wasn't just a choice,  
It was the rule."

People are now staring at me. I feel so… stupid. But I shall continue!

"Since everyone was themselves,  
They all felt free,  
But there was a problem,  
Something they couldn't see."

"All along when they thought  
Conforming was bad,  
Breaking Free turned out  
To be just a fad."

"If everyone tries to be different,  
What sets you apart?  
Maybe some skills,  
Or lip gloss for a start."

"When everyone goes about  
Being different together,  
What is the thing that  
Makes you better?"

"The world needs people  
To conform,  
To be in boxes, and cheerlead  
And to be the norm."

I smile at Mindy. I am so glad that I read this poem. Maybe they will listen now. "Thank you for your time." Everyone just stares at me.

Then someone yells out, "Why should we listen to you? You're just trying to hold us down!"

"Yeah!" People start to boo. How could they? I start to cry.

Then I yell, "Fine, be that way! You never listen to anybody! How do you think your parents feel when you won't take their advice? How can you like being different, when you really just want to go with the flow? Do you know how many people you have hurt? Some people like boxes. But you don't care, because you won't listen! You won't even give normal a chance! You never have!" I race off the stage and out to the parking lot, tears streaking down my face. Why did I ever agree to do this?

**Mindy P.O.V.**

I watched her, like, run out of the auditorium. It was totally terrible.

BIGGEST. FLOP. EVER.

For, like, the first time in my life, I totally know what to do. I'm going to kill them. If they think they can, like, crush not just my dreams, but, like, someone who I told to totally go out there and stand up to them, then they are totally dead. I, like, stand up, shaking so bad because I am totally mad. Then, I can like hardly believe that I say,  
"Wow. And you call me mean or something. Do you have any idea what you, like just did??? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?? That girl could totally get run over and it would be, like, ALL YOUR FAULT. And you, like, call yourselves nonconformists or something. Not one of you, like, stood up for her. That totally says, like sooo much about your resolve to break free when all of you act completely the same. Don'cha know, that if, like all of you do the same thing, then I like win or something? Totally."

Yah, I, like, admit, I did get totally sarcastic at the end. The scary part is that, like, all these freaks are totally listening to me. Quite nice, or something.

"Hey! She's right! Lets go and find the New Girl!"

"Wasn't her name Ivy?"

"Who cares? Lets go!"

Like, holy cow. They actually listened. Who would have thought?

* * *

Mindy's Senior Year…

**Ivy P.O.V.**

I will miss Mindy so much. It's all thanks to her that I got some real friends. I can't wait until I get to see her again! She's an inspiration to us all!

**Mindy P.O.V.**

I'll miss Ivy. Its totally thanks to her that I, like, got the whole school for me.  
Mom? Aren't you proud? Even, like, a cheerleader can get everyone to totally listen to her in this day and age. I like totally swear or something to carry on the stereotype boxes theory or something, if only for the fact that it, like, got our whole school back to the norm. Kids are finally, like, understanding that breaking free might have been good in the 50s or something, but there really isn't a need right now. Why not just stay in a box, when it fits you just right?

* * *

Kurama: In case you didn't entirely understand this story—

FCL64: I had to read it twice the first time to really understand it.

Kurama: Anyway, the basic idea is that all the kids are nonconforming in the same way, so the only person trying to conform to the norm is the only one who is really nonconforming. Not that that really makes much sense, but it's Pirate. Which explains everything.


	12. Bonus Chapter: Part Two

FCL64: I'm bored.

Kasumi: And that results in what you call a 'bonus chapter' how?

FCL64: I don't feel like writing the real chapter. I want to kill Mizuko again.

Kasumi: So there will be death and destruction in this chapter?

FCL64: Yes.

Kasumi: Isn't there death and destruction in the normal story?

FCL64: Yes.

Kiyoshi: Then why is this a bonus chapter and not part of the actual story?

FCL64: Because for the storyline the real next chapter has no death or destruction. Well, at least not at the beginning, which is what I need to write next.

Takeshi: I see.

Kasumi: Kiyoshi, Takeshi, Akiko, I think it might be safest for us to run away right about now.

Akiko: Why?

Kasumi: The author is getting a little violent.

FCL64: It's okay. My friend and I discussed the possibility of a bonus chapter last night. None of you are involved. The only people involved are Mizuko, Mindy, and Shikamaru.

Other Four: Who?

FCL64:(holding up her right index finger) Mizuko, who you all have already met; Mindy, my friend's incredibly annoying character from a short story for English (to be quite honest, I was never sure if she was the antagonist or the protagonist); and Shikamaru, because my best friend has a strange obsession with him.

Kasumi: So by _Shikamaru_, you mean the Shikamaru from Naruto?

FCL64: Pretty much.

Kasumi: Oh, God. This cannot be safe.

FCL64: Glad you think that. Sounds kind of like when I hang out with my best friends.

Shikamaru: It's such a pain to be here.

FCL64: OMP! You actually came! I didn't think you would bother!

Everyone else:OM_P_?

FCL64: What the legs! You guys have never heard of OMP before?! What is wrong with you people! You live inside my head and you don't know what OMP means!

Kiyoshi: What the… _legs_? What _does_ it mean? And what are you even talking about?

FCL64: Oh my patio!

Kiyoshi: Oh my… patio?

FCL64: Yep! :) It's the first derivative of heck!

Kiyoshi: Okay… moving along…

FCL64: Where are Mizuko and Mindy? They are late!

Mizuko: I'm here. Not like I had a choicssse.

FCL64: Then where's Mindy?

Mindy: I'm, like, right here.

FCL64: Yay! Now we can get on with the death and destruction!

Mindy: Why are you, like, so happy about something, like, like death and, like, destruction?

FCL64: People who annoy me are involved. And Shikamaru.

Shikamaru: Do I have to? This is just stupid.

FCL64: Well, I guess you don't _have_ to. But after a few minutes you'll probably _want_ to.

Shikamaru: Right.

FCL64: Drumroll please!

(silence)

FCL64: I said DRUMROLL!

(drum music fills the background)

Kasumi: Where did that come from?

FCL64: (pointing to herself) Author, remember?

(drumroll continues, filling the awkward silence)

FCL64: Da moose, da moose

Kasumi: What?

FCL64: This is a repeat after me song!

Everyone: This is a repeat after me song!

FCL64: YAY!

Everyone: YAY!

FCL64: Da moose, da moose

Everyone:Da moose, da moose

FCL64: Swimming in ze water

Everyone: Swimming in ze water

FCL64: Eating up his supper

Everyone: Eating up his supper

Akiko: This is stupid.

Shikamaru: I agree.

FCL64: You guys aren't nice.

(drumroll starts up again)

FCL64: Okay, here is a giant glass box.

(giant glass box appears. FCL64 shoves Mizuko and Mindy into it, and slams the door shut.)

Everyone else:?

FCL64: Death and destruction?

Everyone: OML.

(Inside the box)

Mindy: You're, like, really pretty. But you could, like, do so much more with your, like, hair. I think that cliques are, like, important. You need to, like, maintain the status quo or else the world will, like, implode, or something. Like, what group do you, like, belong to?

(Outside the box, as Mindy keeps talking)

FCL64: My thoughts on this were that Mindy might talk Mizuko to death.

Shikamaru: That is entirely possible.

(Inside the box)

(As Mindy keeps talking, Mizuko transforms into a giant snake and bites her)

Mindy: Hey! That, like, hurt. Like, a lot. That was so, like, not nice! You really need some, like, counseling or, like, something. You can't just, like, go around, like, biting people all the time. People, like, won't like you.

Mizuko: How are you not dead?

Mindy: You are so, like, mean! I don't, like, like you anymore!

Mizuko: Doesss that mean you'll ssstop talking to me?

(Outside the box)

Kasumi: What happened to death and destruction? And where did Shikamaru go?

FCL64: I think Shikamaru went to get the death and destruction.

Everyone: What are you even talking about?

(Shikamaru reappears and walks into the glass box. He places something on the ground between Mindy and Mizuko. He walks back out and shuts the door. Mizuko tries to open the door but it is locked.)

(Inside the box)

(Mindy continues, like, talking.)

KABOOM!!!!!!!!!!

animegrlsteph:If that was Mizuko, what was it I killed yesterday? And if that was Mizuko, why did Shikamaru get to kill her? Why, why, why, why, why?

Pirate: It's cause Shikamaru is way cooler than you.

animegrlsteph:What?!

(animegrlsteph runs at Pirate. Pirate easily dodges and employs her powers of flight to fly away from animegrlsteph and out of her reach)

FCL64: (ignoring animegrlsteph and Pirate) Good thing that was explosion-proof glass.

Kasumi: Explosion-proof? As you would say, what the legs?

(glass box then implodes)

Kiyoshi: What is it with you and implosions?

FCL64: Well… you always see things explode. Nothing ever implodes. Kind of like how everyone knows what a platypus is, but almost no one has ever heard of an echidna.

Kiyoshi: What?

Takeshi: Nice. Kiyoshi is the smartest of us all and you managed to confuse him.

FCL64: How is it that you live in my head but don't understand a word I say? It's kind of like when my best friend starts talking about computers.

Kiyoshi: It's because your comparisons make no sense!

Kasumi: How do you intend to clean this room up before your parents get home?

FCL64: Hmmm…

(FCL64 snaps her fingers and all the death and destruction disappears)

FCL64: Like that.

Kiyoshi: I see.

Takeshi: I tripped over air this morning…

FCL64: (smacks her own forehead, hard) Owww… I lose more brain cells that way…

Takeshi: By tripping over air?

FCL64: Well, I did do that the other day. I tripped over air and almost landed in a rosebush. But I meant by smacking myself on the forehead.

(the sound of crickets fills the background)

FCL64: (singing) Secret tunnel, secret tunnel, secret tunnel, secret tunnel! Don't let the cave-in get you down! Don't let the falling rocks turn your smile into a frown! Don't let the cave-in get you down! Sokka! Even if you're lost you can't lose your love because it's in your heart! And DIIIIEEEEE!

Everyone else:WHAT THE LEGS???!!!

FCL64: My friend and I watched Avatar.

Kasumi: I DON'T want to know.

FCL64: Why not? Don't you love me?

Kasumi: Uhhh…

FCL64:(pouting) I really need to get a life…

Kasumi: But you have us for friends! It's not like your life could get any more exciting!

FCL64: Okay, maybe I should clarify. I need to get a life that exists outside of my mind. And I need to hang out with people who exist in a place OTHER than my imagination. As in, people who can be seen by people other than myself.

Kasumi: But don't you love us?

FCL64: (tackling Kasumi and hugging her) Of course I love you guys! But I tried to give Zuko a hug the other day, because he was sad.

Kiyoshi: Your point? You just gave Kasumi a hug.

FCL64: But that was the Kasumi in my head. If I had tried to give the Zuko in my head a hug, it wouldn't have been a problem. But I tried to give the Zuko on the tv a hug.

Kiyoshi: Oh. I can see how that would be a problem. What happened?

FCL64: The tv shocked my face.

(Everyone else snorts, trying not to laugh)

Kasumi: Next thing we know, you'll be walking into windows like those windex commercials.

FCL64:(pouting) I've done that before too.

(The others almost die laughing)

FCL64: Okay, you can stop now. Hiei, could you help me with this?

Hiei: No.

FCL64: Fine. Kurama?

Kurama:(trying not to laugh at the idea of FCL64 walking into a window) Sure. Everyone! Your attention, please.

(Everyone gets quiet)

FCL64: Thank you. Although, I do like how you listen to Kurama and not me, even though I'M the author. Now it's time for you all to go back into the story.

Kiyoshi: I don't know if you remember or not, but _this_ was the story.

FCL64: Oh, yeah. Well, it's time for you all to go back into the story that has a storyline.

Akiko: Thank goodness.

Shikamaru: Do I have to?

FCL64: You're not even in the real story!

Shikamaru: Good.

Everyone else:Thank goodness this is over!

(FCL64 snaps her fingers and they all disappear, with the exceptions of animegrlsteph and Pirate. animegrlsteph is still attempting to catch Pirate, who is still flying)

FCL64: I think you guys should probably go home now.

Pirate: Okay!

(she flies out the window, leaving animegrlsteph to walk home)


	13. Chapter Ten

Okay, just so y'all know, Kiyoshi really scared me in the last chapter. And I'm the one who made him that way (what does that say, you think?). Of course, part of that could be the fact that I see it in a certain way and am trying to convey it to you… so it might not be as scary for you as it is for me, because I might not have made it totally clear… but whatever… Anyway… I only own Kiyoshi, Takeshi, Kasumi, and Akiko. 'Cause Mizuko is dead. And sorry about the 'bonus chapter.' I really was bored. I know this chapter is a bit shorter than the last ones have been, but that might be a good thing.

Okay, I got a review after the last real chapter asking if Kiyoshi was evil. I wanted to make him seem a bit evil, but he isn't, not really, as this chapter should demonstrate. It's more that every single person, no matter how kind, has a bit of evil in their hearts. Kiyoshi flipped when Mizuko hurt one of his friends, and his anger combined with that kind of power made him seem a bit evil. Another thing was that he didn't want to have to kill her, so by mocking her he was protecting himself. Finally, he has great but not complete control over his tremendous power. So his rage took hold of him, and he lost control of it to an extent. That's not to say he didn't know what he was doing; he did. It's just once he started, he was mad enough that he wasn't able to stop.

I apologize for the 'bonus (or bogus, if you like) chapters.' I was _really_ bored. That shouldn't happen again. At least I didn't post them on separate days, and posted this at the same time as those two right? And this chapter is dedicated to Bhel-Elryss, for the review that made me explain something important to the story (in other words, the paragraph just above this one.) And now that I've written half a page of author's notes, you can read the story.

* * *

Akiko, Kasumi, and Takeshi watched uneasily as Kiyoshi snapped his fingers. The plants on the floor that had surrounded Mizuko withered and died, and they breathed slightly easier. However, the one Kiyoshi was carrying with him remained intact. As did the look in his eyes.

And, although none of them allowed it to show, they were all slightly afraid. This boy had just painfully killed a class A demon without so much as blinking. And despite her obvious agony he had spent the last moments of her life making fun of her. And, on top of all that, the only damage he had sustained had been at what amounted to be his own hand.

But what frightened them most was not that he had killed her, or even the way he had killed her. All of them had accepted that, in this job, it was kill or be killed. What frightened them was the look in his eyes. It wasn't regret or sadness. It wasn't disgust at taking life. It wasn't even a happiness that they had defeated an enemy, ridding the universe of what the other three considered to be an evil. Even happiness would have been better than what had been in his eyes.

A cold indifference. Kiyoshi's eyes had said he simply didn't care. They said that it made no difference to him one way or the other. They said that it really didn't matter to him whether Mizuko lived or died. But he had killed her anyway, simply because that was the easier option.

And that look had not left his eyes.

Strangely, it was Akiko it frightened most, although her fear showed the least. But, unlike Kasumi and Takeshi, she had seen that look before. Mostly it had been in the eyes of people who were insane. The rest of the time, it was in demons who had been around for far too long, who had seen to much death and destruction to really care anymore. But never before had she seen it in a human. And never before had she seen it in the eyes of a fifteen year old boy.

As he approached them, he saw them eyeing the plant warily, "Don't worry. It is completely loyal to me. And it recognizes your auras. It understands that the only circumstance in which it is to harm you at all is if you are trying to kill me. Which I trust you won't try to do." His voice wasn't as it had been, uncaring and cruel, but his eyes remained devoid of the light that usually filled them, despite his reassurance.

The purplish plant had receded from covering both arms, his neck, and his torso to remain wrapped around just his muscular left arm. But as he was left-handed, this didn't help his team's nerves any, as avoiding it on his left hand would be more difficult than if it was on his right. Finally Kasumi asked the obvious question, "Can't you set that thing off to the side, or something? It's really freaking me out."

The sound of his friend's voice seemed to break the spell that still held Kiyoshi. A look of bemusement crossed his face, before he said, "I can't. Not without killing it."

"You _can't_?"

"No. None of you noticed, but when I made it grow, it moved its roots into one of the cuts along my wrist. After a few moments the wound, although it was one of the deeper ones, healed." He held out his wrist to the others. And there was a single point where the vine flowed smoothly in under his skin, like an iv, unnoticeable until it was pointed out.

"Oh my god."

Kiyoshi then pulled a bottle out of his bag and, without asking, poured some of its pale yellow contents into Akiko's shoulder wound. She winced, unprepared for the sting. He then said, "That should counteract the venom, although I can do nothing for the punctures themselves." Akiko nodded before ripping the sleeves of her shirt into strips for a makeshift bandage.

Kiyoshi then turned his attention to Takeshi. Takeshi, however, wasn't having any of it. "You idiot! Don't take care of me! You're in worse shape than I am right now."

Kiyoshi looked at Takeshi for a moment. Quietly, he said, "Am I?"

And for the first time since the fight, the others looked past the plant on his arm and actually saw Kiyoshi. His clothes were torn and stained with his blood. There was dried blood on his face and arms. But when they looked closer, there wasn't so much as a single scratch on him. Confusion passed into their eyes and he answered it, "One, both, or a combination of the plants' genetic material contains coding for something that causes amazing healing." Holding up his left arm, he continued, "This plant lives in my veins now, feeding off the nutrients in my blood as well as my aura. If my guess is accurate, it will in return heal me without any kind of effort on my part. Although I'd imagine a powerful poultice or salve of some sort could be created from it. This plant is incredible; two extremes living together with perfect symbiosis and harmony."

Takeshi looked at the other boy a moment before nodding, after which Kiyoshi applied an ointment to his cuts. It appeared that Takeshi's inability to summon aura had come from a state of shock, not actual, physical damage. And since Kasumi had taken no damage, they left the room, Kasumi supporting Akiko. They stumbled up a flight of stairs and collapsed, two on a bed, two on couches, in a room directly above the place where Mizuko's body still lay on the cold stone floor.

Almost without his knowledge, the ivy living on Kiyoshi grew, creeping across the floor and up the door frame, tendrils hanging down to protect the group as they slept.

* * *

Koenma was still a bit worried, although now it was more because he didn't know where his team was than it was the fact he thought they were in any danger.

Botan seemed calm as well. In fact, she seemed even calmer than he felt, which didn't happen often.

"1987… 1988… 1989… 1990…"

Then quietly, and with a sigh of relief, he tucked the last report away into the filing cabinets. "1991."

* * *

The next morning Kasumi woke early, and looked around the room. She and Akiko had collapsed on the massive bed, Takeshi and Kiyoshi each sleeping on a couch.

Akiko was still asleep, recovering from her wounds. It shocked Kasumi how vulnerable she appeared to be.

At some point in the night, Takeshi had fallen off the couch without waking up. He lay on the floor, asleep and snoring. He looked like the child he was.

But when she looked at the couch nearest the door, Kiyoshi wasn't there. Instead, she noticed the door was slightly open. Glancing back at Takeshi and Akiko, she left quietly as well.

There wasn't so much as a whisper of sound in the entire house, but for Kasumi's footsteps. Checking the rooms, she eventually found Kiyoshi, sitting in a window seat and staring out at rolling hills, which were drowning in purple and just beginning to be touched by the morning's first light. From the angle she was at, Kasumi couldn't see the plant that seemed to have become Kiyoshi's pet.

Thinking he hadn't noticed her, Kasumi began to back out of the room, to leave him alone. But Kiyoshi said, without ever looking away from the window, "Don't tell Akiko or Takeshi."

Startled, Kasumi froze. She then walked across the room and sat down next to Kiyoshi, "Tell them what?"

"That you saw me like this."

"Like what?"

"Like… Like…" He ran his fingers through his hair, frustrated that he couldn't find the right words. Then he turned to look at Kasumi, and she understood. His eyes were no longer dead; instead they were tortured. She almost wished they were as unexpressive as they had been the day before. Pain filled them, leaving room enough only for fright and the most profound hatred Kasumi had ever seen. Quickly, his eyes dropped and he held his hands in front of them. "It's just that… even though there is no physical mark, her blood is on my hands. I can feel it. I can see it. And I can't get her screaming out of my head."

"You didn't have a choice, Kiyoshi. You just did what you had to do. It was kill or be killed."

"There is no justification for murder."

Kasumi put her arm around his shoulders, reminding her of how she always kept her younger brother from crying. But her brother was only six. The boy she was hugging now was only a year younger than she was. And he was both taller and stronger than her. But it still somehow felt the same. And she realized that, somewhere along the way, that's how she had begun to see both Kiyoshi and Takeshi. Younger brothers who, while they may someday surpass her or, in Kiyoshi's case, now that he already had, she still needed to protect.

After a moment, she felt Kiyoshi relax. She hadn't said anything, because she knew his words were true, and it wouldn't help him any to try and make them seem false. Killing _was_ immoral, no matter the person. "Thanks, Kasumi." He said.

"No problem. Is there a reason I'm not supposed to tell the others?"

"I didn't want any of you to see me like this. You and Akiko could handle it. But Takeshi… Takeshi is young. Too young for this job. Really, all of us are. But, even though I'm only a year older, I'm still a lot older than him, somehow. The same goes for you and Akiko; Akiko is the oldest, but she's only five years older than him. But all three of us are much older… Much more mature in some way Takeshi wouldn't understand. I don't know how to explain it. But I know he looks up to all of us; he wouldn't be able to handle seeing the pain I feel at killing someone who was trying to kill me. And if we let him see that…" Kiyoshi breathed in deeply, trying to figure out what he was trying to say. "If we let him see that, I fear it would come back to him at the worst moments and end up getting him killed. I don't think it was right of Koenma to hire him. But all the same, we need to protect him."

Kasumi understood exactly what he was saying, and began to realize that Kiyoshi didn't need her protection at all. If anything, it was the other way around. He was much stronger than her; not just in terms of physical strength, and aura, but in mental and emotional ways as well. He had hidden that much pain from them, just to protect someone else. She didn't think she could have done it, but she agreed with him. Thinking, she realized something else. Akiko's life had been hard, but only because she had always challenged herself. As for herself and Takeshi, they had had relatively easy lives. Sure, she had always been expected to train. But that wasn't the same as a difficult, painful life. She knew nothing of Kiyoshi's life before Koenma had hired him. But she somehow felt that it had been filled with turmoil and hardship from an early age. A kind of pain that she would never have wished upon anyone.

Kasumi stood. "I think I'll go explore."

"If you're hungry, the kitchen is down the stairs, down the hall, second door on the left. All of the food is safe." She looked at him quizzically and he added, "I woke up because of the screaming, and couldn't go back to sleep."

She nodded before leaving Kiyoshi alone in the room, silhouetted against a window that framed fields of deadly grass.

* * *

The group didn't know it, but Mizuko's servants had fled the house.

And now rumors of a group of four—two males, two females; one demon, three human—were spreading quickly. Because the servants knew Mizuko had been killed; not how or by which one of them, but that one of the humans had killed her. They knew that one of the humans had enough aura to overshadow that of an A-class demon.

And those rumors quickly reached Kurama.

* * *

"Amazing. They're still coming after us." Kurama muttered after a demon told him of the group. "But their ordeal will now be even more difficult. They now have legions of lesser demons after them, intent on making a name for themselves. And the stronger demons they meet will be much more wary than Mizuko was."

They had reached the place Kurama wanted to wait for Koenma's new team. Despite the dust that told of the centuries since the place had last been inhabited, the place where Kurama was now pacing was well-worn. A track, a rut, cut into the ground, lower than the rest of the floor, showing Kurama had often though exactly as he was doing now, treading back and forth in the process.

"What I don't understand," Hiei said suddenly, "Is why you can't think and sit still at the same time. And why you even need to think about it at all; all we need to do is wait and see if they show up. Either they will, or they won't, and there's not really anything you can do about it at this point anyway, short of finding them and personally leading them here."

Kurama stopped, looked down at the track he was in, and nodded.


	14. Chapter Eleven

Hooray for updates! And for reviews! And for owning Mizuko, Kasumi, Takeshi, Kiyoshi, and Akiko! And thanks to anyone who reviewed! Especially the person who told me that both of the bonus chapters were the same. It's fixed now, if you REALLY want to spend your time reading seven pages of nonsense. That's all! :)

Oh, some things in this chapter might be a bit confusing without clarification. First of all, there are too many humans for Koenma and Botan to personally keep tabs on all of them. Second, he didn't want to know anything about his new team members. Last, he basically kept a family tree and that is it, so that's how he knew how to find them and who they all were without knowing anything about them. This will not make sense now, but it will at the end (or by the middle of this chapter). I promise!

That's really all!

* * *

"Are you sure you're ready for this?"

Akiko's glare was more than enough of an answer to Kiyoshi's question. He held up his hands, palms out as if to surrender. "Fine. Whatever. It's only been two days, but if you think you're ready, then that's fine by me."

"That's what I though you said." She turned away from him before asking, "Where are Takeshi and Kasumi? And why aren't they here?"

"They got bored of waiting for you to wake up. I think they're downstairs gorging themselves on the food that wouldn't fit in our packs. I hope you don't mind that I filled yours; you might want to rearrange it."

* * *

Koenma was staring at what appeared to be a computer. In fact, it was an instrument that allowed him to view the pictures his team sent him. As well as being the screen that both showed them and videoed him to theirs. When their devices were actually turned _on_.

And staring back at him was Kiyoshi. It was a picture he had received from Kasumi two and a half days ago. And it was frightening. Not because there was anything particularly strange about it. But because there _wasn't_ anything strange about it. Perfectly composed, his mouth gave no indication that he was doing anything at all. And his eyes, to put it quite simply, looked bored. It wouldn't have been remarkable or frightening at all, but for the note. Because seconds after he received this photo, Kasumi had sent him a picture of a note. It read:

Kiyoshi is watching his plants kill someone. At his request, of course. I felt the look on his face qualified as an emergency.

Koenma had agreed, but by the time he had attempted to contact Kasumi, her communicator had been turned off again.

Koenma agreed because, taking Kasumi's note into account, Kiyoshi's face _wasn't_ normal. This was not the face of a fifteen year old boy. This was the face of a cold-blooded killer.

* * *

A few hours later, Kasumi nudged Kiyoshi's plants out of the way. She then made her way down to the kitchen as the others slept, before pressing the button that called Koenma.

The surprise on his face was evident when he saw her. "Kasumi? Where are you?"

"That I can't tell you. I know you'd try and stop us, and I understand how important this is to Kiyoshi. It's also important to me. And somehow to Akiko as well. But that's all beside the point. I want to talk to you about Kiyoshi."

Koenma nodded. Anything that made _Kasumi_ look that serious was important. The only way it could be more important was if it made Takeshi look that serious. He understood he couldn't overlook it. "Go on." He said.

"The pictures I sent you…" she sighed, and looked away from the table where she had set the communicator. "I told you he was killing someone. That's not the entire story. Well, it was then, but not anymore. Obviously, it was a demon. But she had easily gotten to Akiko. And when I fired a Reigun blast at her, at full power, it did no damage. It knocked her over, that's it. Akiko made it so she couldn't move a great distance, but other than that, it was all Kiyoshi. She was class A."

"Class A?! How is that even possible? Kiyoshi is _human_; I have a team of underworld specialists who have to work together to take out a demon that powerful!"

Kasumi nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "And what's more, she never laid so much as a finger on him."

"Then what were those cuts all over his face and arms?"

"Those were… self-inflicted."

"What?!"

"He created a hybrid, which tried to turn on him. He overcame it, and now it and all of its… descendents are completely loyal to him. As in give-him-their-undying-devotion-even-if-it-kills-them loyal. He killed the original before Mizuko saw what he was doing, then—"

"Mizuko? It was _Mizuko_ he killed? Heaven help me."

A funny look covered Kasumi's face a moment before she decide just not to ask. So she continued, "Anyway, he then demonstrated the plant for her with one of its seeds. The plant moved its roots into one of Kiyoshi's wounds. It healed him, and now lives in him, despite the fact that its poison was strong enough to kill Mizuko. But my point is, I believe his creating the hybrid and it planting itself on him are causing his powers to truly manifest."

"What has Kurama done?" Koenma moaned to himself. "What have _I_ done? Together, we've created a monster."

"Not so. That's the other thing I wanted to tell you. I talked to Kiyoshi later and… well, taking the picture I sent you was bad enough. Had I taken one later, it would have invaded his personal privacy. And to have documented evidence of what he looked like _then_… I couldn't stand the thought of it. Koenma, looking into his eyes later, I felt I could see into his soul. The look he gave me then was the most haunted and tortured look I have ever seen before in my life. It ripped me apart, just seeing _him_ like that. I can't imagine what he must have actually been feeling. And he had kept it to himself, quietly, without us ever noticing. To _keep_ us from noticing. To protect _us_. It should suffice to say that, of the two horrendous looks I saw in his eyes that day, I would look at eyes like those in the picture every day for the rest of my life before I would willingly look into the pain and hurt and guilt that filled his eyes later even once. And the guilt wasn't mild. He absolutely hated himself for killing her, despite the fact that she tried to kill us first."

Kasumi's eyes were raging as she continued. "But that isn't all I wanted to talk about. First of all, you can't say anything to Akiko or Takeshi. I had to promise as well. In a sense, I'm breaking that promise by talking to you. Second, I saw, or felt, that this wasn't the first time he had suffered and badly. A person who hasn't felt serious emotional pain can't hide a pain like that so effectively. _No one_ should be able to hide that kind of hurt _at all_. I want to know what happened to him, Koenma. I _need_ to know. At least part of the turmoil wasn't from killing Mizuko. Part of it was from whatever was in his past. And I don't want to accidentally say anything that makes him endure more hurt silently."

Koenma closed his eyes, then nodded slowly. "I'll have Botan find out more about him. To be honest, I know little about any of you outside your school records and what I've learned from you personally. I've learned from past experience that our files here in the underworld aren't exactly reliable when it comes to determining whether or not a person can be trusted, or if they are cut out for this job. In addition, it allows me to be unbiased."

Kasumi looked down. "Thank you Koenma." Her voice was quiet, and before he got another good look at her, she had turned the device off.

But he got the distinct impression that she had been crying.

* * *

The next day Botan knocked on Koenma's office door and entered. "I have the files, Koenma, sir."

"Thank you, Botan. What do they say?"

"First, I think I should tell you something Genkai observed, that she mentioned before you arrived. Kasumi noticed something similar when they were traveling through the forest."

"The point, please, Botan."

"Genkai thought that you and she had underestimated how powerful he was at the time, as well as how powerful he could become. Kasumi thought he was far more powerful than anyone could guess, based on the self-assurance in his voice, but that he didn't want anyone to know about it. As you know, we have it from Kasumi that Kiyoshi, like Kurama, possesses a remarkable ability to conceal his emotions."

"This is related, I'm assuming?"

"Yes! We had believed Kiyoshi had no prior knowledge of the demon plane, except that which his sixth sense told him of. And his sixth sense wasn't thought to be particularly strong. Neither did he know of ways to enhance his spiritual abilities. But when that matter was looked into, it proved to be false!"

"What?!" Koenma found himself standing as Botan continued her report.

"When he was little more than five years old, his mother passed away in a car accident. He was in the car, yet somehow escaped injury. This seemed to have created in him a deep sense of survivor's guilt. On top of that, his sixth sense is actually _stronger_ than Takeshi's! It's true that the _family's_ has generally been weak, but his never was. For that reason he has been plagued by lesser demons and ghosts for his entire life. He told Kasumi and made Genkai think he couldn't make weapons out of plants—that's also a lie. Long ago he mastered that art in order to protect himself and his father. We aren't sure how many demons he has killed; there was never any evidence that it was actually him."

"No evidence?!"

"What's more is that he has been able to conceal the fact that…" Botan paused, unsure how to word what she had to say next.

"The fact that…?

"That fact that he was in fact responsible for his mother's death, and that is where his deep-rooted sense of guilt is derived. Not from merely surviving."

To Koenma, it seemed as if time had stopped. His next question was whispered, barely audible, "What?"

"His mother had several potted plants in the back of the car. A demon attacked him, and his temper flared, not surprising considering he was only five. What's surprising is that he had previously been able to hide his abilities from his mother. The plants responded, and she got in the way. She didn't have a chance; Kurama's genes lay in his father's side, not his mother's, and he didn't yet know how to call them off. This, in turn, caused the accident, which was the true cause of her death. The plants protected Kiyoshi. By the time emergency vehicles arrived, the plants had returned to their initial sizes, and his mother had died. The huge discharge of aura that day led to the attack of more and more lesser demons in the years to come, none of which have survived."

"So what you're saying is…"

"I don't believe Kurama poses a true threat to Kiyoshi. And Kiyoshi's grasp of his power is far above the level we thought it to be at."

Botan's eyes widened at Koenma's next statement. He didn't meet her eyes and his voice was subdued, because his words held what they knew to be an undeniable truth. "Although both your statements are true, I had something else in mind. First of all, for ten years now Kiyoshi has emotionally concealed something no normal human should be able to conceal for even ten days, without so much as a single indication of it before now. Second, he has killed many times without letting it show or affect his daily life. And finally, he knew of his own power, but kept it concealed from me, the king of the underworld. What is Kiyoshi?"

* * *

Kasumi called Koenma later and he refused to tell her what he had learned. "That is Kiyoshi's business. If you can convince him to tell you, or if he just tells you, that's fine. But I can't tell you something like that behind his back. Now, where are you? And where are you going?"

Kasumi responded by turning her communicator off.

They then left, and after a single day's travel arrived outside what was obviously Kurama's second den, second challenge, second test. There they stopped, and Kiyoshi began staring calmly into the branches.

Although they had been plagued by lesser demons, they had made good time. This was due to the fact that any of the four of them could do no more than flick their wrist and dispatch their attackers. Permanently.

* * *

"You okay, Kurama?"

"He'd be fine if you'd just leave him alone."

"No, he'd think we didn't care—which is partially true, since you don't—and hide it from us, then convince himself he was overreacting."

"Like I said, he'd be fine."

"You are so insensitive."

"Was that an insult? If it was, you need to brush up on your derogatory comments, because I'm getting more of a feeling of having been complimented."

"Awww, shut up. But, seriously. Kurama, are you okay?"

"They left Mizuko's palace and made it to my den in a single day, even with all the demons trying to kill them."

"That's good, isn't it? It means we won't have to wait long"

"I fear for them."

"They killed Mizuko, didn't they? They'll be fine."

Kurama didn't look up, but at Kurama's next words, even Hiei became interested. "I feared I wouldn't get to meet them because Mizuko would kill them. But she was no problem. Before they met her, I was planning to make things a bit easier on them, should they run into too many problems; I could have done that, even from here. But now that I've seen proof of their power, the power-obsessed criminal in me wants to see the extent of that power too badly to allow me to do that. They will have to defeat my fortress completely on their own now. It is possible for someone to do that, not just them, but anyone…in theory…I _suppose_ it's actually possible… But I fear for their lives more now than I did when I realized they were confronting Mizuko."


	15. Author Note Unfortunately

It really depresses me to write this. First of all, I haven't had an actual author's note in this chapter. (Yes, two chapters of meaningless crap, but that's different.) Second, the issue it deals with is depressing in itself.

I was going to update today, but that now seems improbable.

Because I'm an idiot, I lost my USB flash drive. And, because I'm an idiot, the only place the next chapters are saved is on said USB flash drive. So it might be awhile before you get an update. My apologies.

Now the good news. Unfortunately, it isn't as good as the bad news is bad, but it'll have to do. I know my flash drive is in my house, probably my room. So it isn't lost PERMANENTLY, just for a few days (hopefully).

I just thought I should warn you guys. Thanks to all the people who reviewed.

ForbiddenChildLover64


	16. Chapter Twelve

Hurrah! I am finally back. I must like you (my readers) a lot, because I still haven't found my USB flash drive, because I'm too lazy to clean my room. But I did realize that I wasn't a complete and total idiot. The USB is _not_ the only place I had the finalized version saved (thank God). I am apparently not as stupid as I thought. I suddenly realized that I had printed out a hard copy of all the chapters I have written so far. Therefore, I must like you guys a lot, because I'm retyping this so you can have a new chapter.

Have you ever had a great idea for the climax of a chapter, but had no idea how to make that idea happen? This chapter took forever to write because I knew how I wanted it to end… no idea about anything from the beginning to that point, though. But it's here now! And I'm actually pretty pleased with it. As usual, I only own Kasumi, Akiko, Takeshi, and Kiyoshi. As for the amount of talking Kasumi does at the beginning of this chapter… I think I already established back with Genkai that, for the most part, she never shuts up. That's starting to show.

And if Pirate ever reads this, the 'Aye, aye, Captain' was for you.

Because I didn't have time to respond to my reviews:

Bhel-Elryss: Yes, Kiyoshi's morals are very gray. But that is more because he hasn't any idea how to handle it all. You'll find out more about that in this chapter, although his morals might seem even more gray…

Kurama no Miko2003: I like Kiyoshi too. :)

Oh yeah, one last thing. If you hadn't noticed, I got a new profile picture! Yay! I have been obsessing about Kiyoshi, so my friend who (unlike myself) can actually draw, asked me to describe him as I saw him in my head. And that picture is the result. So now you all know what Kiyoshi looks like. Remember, though, black hair and dark green eyes (cause you can't really see that in a pencil sketch). Now you can read the chapter (finally).

* * *

"I want to make one thing perfectly clear to you guys."

"What is it, Kiyoshi?" Kasumi asked.

Kiyoshi finally looked away from the deadly obstacle course of traps. For the past ten minutes no one had said a word as his eyes drilled into the forest. Now they turned on the other three, their green depths alight with what could only be called excitement. And a warning. "Compared to this one, the last one was simple… the difference is like that between first grade math and college calculus. But the stakes are much higher than a letter grade; you guys know that. The stakes are our lives. Because Kurama won't call these plants off, just because he wants to meet us If you step in here with me, it could mean your _life_."

Kasumi tilted her head slightly, "If you don't want us to come, just say something Kiyoshi. Not that that would stop any of us. But right now you're just insulting us. We're not completely stupid. We know you're powerful; more powerful than any of us at the moment. And we knew that _before_ you killed Mizuko. Her death was nothing more than the proof we had been lacking. We haven't talked about it, but I'm sure Akiko and Takeshi feel the same way. And even though you were able to hide it from Genkai and Koenma… it's hard to hide something of that magnitude from people you spend all day with, every day." Akiko and Takeshi nodded, and Kasumi added, "Although, you are a _very_ good actor, right up there with Light Yagami, just not quite so evil… or insane. At least, I don't _think_ you're evil or insane. If not for the incident with Mizuko, I wouldn't be one hundred percent sure about your power and ability levels even now, you hid it so well."

Kiyoshi sighed. "Okay. But you're still taking the same risk. The fact that you knew of my power is proof; I make mistakes, same as anyone else. In this case, it will kill me. Then you three will either move and be killed or remain in the same place until you collapse from exhaustion, which will then make you move and be killed. Because, frankly, none of you have both the sixth sense and the connections needed to get through there."

Kasumi was the one who voiced the opinion of the other three, "I am willing to take that risk, if it's you who's leading us through it."

"Besides," Akiko asked, "Where's the fun in life if there isn't a risk involved?"

Kiyoshi seemed to have begun to feel the same way in the past months. Because now his eyes danced with his now-obvious excitement. "Okay then. Let's go."

What he did next surprised the other three immensely, because although Takeshi and Akiko could sense great danger from the plants as a group, they couldn't have said which plants were actually safe. Kiyoshi grabbed the vine closest to him, tugged on it and, when it didn't give, began climbing. He saw the looks on their faces and said, "As far as I can tell from this position, the only plants infused with his aura at first are those on the ground, as if to weed out the complete idiots." Akiko and Kasumi both narrowed their eyes, making it evident that the path Kiyoshi had just described would have been theirs. But he didn't notice, as he had continued climbing, shouting back down to them, "It also serves to lull everyone else into a false sense of security. But, as you can see, there isn't exactly a place to step down there on the ground. So we'll go through the treetops. After the first, oh, maybe hundred and twenty five meters there are traps in the tree branches as well."

Takeshi stared at Kiyoshi before saying, "You have _got_ to be kidding me."

Kasumi answered, still staring after Kiyoshi, and still slightly stung at having been called an idiot, even if Kiyoshi didn't know he had done so, "I wish he was."

Kiyoshi could evidently still hear them, because his distant response to that was, "Awww, come on guys. This'll be fun."

"Tree climbing through a jungle of man-eating plants and other deadly traps, all infused with an S-class demon's aura?" Akiko asked, her voice containing more than a trace of sarcasm. "That's definitely what I'd call _fun_." Turning to Takeshi and Kasumi she added, "Then again, we are talking to the person who has a poisonous _vine_ growing out of his _arm_…"

* * *

"They. Are. Driving. Me. Insane."

"So I've noticed."

"I hire them and then Genkai teaches them a few things. And then I completely lose any control I had over them to begin with even more quickly than any of my other spirit detectives. And after Yusuke, that is saying something. They can't even allow me to know they're alive because their communicators are always turned off. Maybe I should just give up on this whole spirit detective-Reikai Tentai thing and go back to bounty hunters… The headache I always got from Yusuke and the one I keep getting from these four makes that tempting."

"Of course," Botan said, interrupting Koenma's ranting, "It's your old team's fault the new one disappeared."

Koenma froze.

Botan continued. "And this isn't such a bad thing—they are talented enough to be as safe as it's possible to be in Makai. And it was you who sent them there in the first place anyway. And they might actually find Kurama, Hiei, and Yusuke for you, which would lift another weight off of your shoulders."

Koenma sighed, blowing air out of the corner of his mouth. Then he admitted, "This is true."

* * *

In a forest in Makai, up in the treetops, four teenagers, three of which were human, stood lined up on a single branch. One was grasping the trunk as if his life depended on it; the next was crouched with an extremely nervous look on her face; the third stood upright, but had solidified her hold on the branch with ice; the last was on the thinnest bit of branch that could support human weight, but didn't seem to be bothered in the slightest by their height. In fact, he was grinning. "Told you guys this would be fun!" he said.

"I take back what I said earlier. I know you aren't evil. But you have _got_ to be _completely_ insane." Kasumi muttered.

Kiyoshi was having no problems in the treetops, having found his center of gravity almost immediately, thanks to the plants. To him it was like being on the ground. He leaned forward to look past Akiko at Kasumi; then, with a perfectly straight face, he said, "That is entirely possible."

She put a hand to her face and her next words came out muffled. "Could you stand up? Watching you all but dance through the branches as if gravity doesn't exist, and then trying to follow you is bad enough. You leaning over like that is making me sick."

Kiyoshi straightened up before saying, "Sorry, Kasumi. I am having trouble remembering that the plants aren't helping you three in the subtle way they are helping me."

"They're actually _helping_ you?"

"No… not exactly. But I _can_ sense the best footholds and such, as well as the fact that my aura is aligned with the plants', and somehow that affects how easy it is to balance. Not that it really matters. Tree climbing has always been really easy for me."

"Kiyoshi… Did you learn _anything_ while we were studying under Genkai, or did you already know everything she taught you?"

Ignoring her question, which was an answer in itself, Kiyoshi said, "We have stopped because, after this point you can't just step on any of the branches; from here on out it'll be like last time, only vertical and horizontal, and in the trees with fewer gaps. You ready for this?" He seemed to be ready, as he couldn't even stand still, even for a few moments, and kept switching from foot to foot. In response the tree branch kept shaking.

"Two things, Kiyoshi," Kasumi said. "_This is nothing like last time_. Okay? And second, could you _quit dancing_? And if you can't, go walk off of a tree branch, or something."

"Aye, aye, Captain."

Then before any of them could do anything, he stepped out of the tree, and began falling towards the ground.

* * *

"I want to find Kurama's den, Botan."

"Not gonna happen, sir."

"Don't care. It gives me something to do. Go get any files that have anything at all to do with Kurama."

"If you insist… but Koenma, sir… I don't think I'll have them ready until tomorrow morning at the earliest. Even _with_ the help of the filers."

"That many?"

"I suspect so, sir."

"Perfect."

* * *

Takeshi gasped, Kasumi screamed, Akiko raised her eyebrows.

And Kiyoshi's plant set him down gently on a branch some seven feet below them.

"You idiot!" Kasumi yelled at him. "You almost gave me a heart attack! Quit fooling around and get back up here! I don't want to be stuck in this tree for the rest of my life."

"To reach our goal, _you_ need to be down _here_."

"And how do you propose I do _that_?"

"Jump?" he suggested. "Don't worry; I'll catch you. Or I could come up there and drag you down here." It was evident Kasumi wouldn't be able to jump, so Kiyoshi pulled a seed out. It grew, somehow stretching between the two limbs and fastening itself there.

After more than a little persuasion, Takeshi, Kasumi, and Akiko climbed down the rope to meet Kiyoshi, who was suddenly somber. "Only the trees I touch are safe. And unless I tell you otherwise, assume any plants growing on even those to be dangerous as well."

"And you didn't tell us this up there?!"

"The danger doesn't actually start until past this point. I wouldn't have risked jumping otherwise."

The obstacles they fought their way through for the next few hours were similar to the first time around, just as Kiyoshi had said. And just as he had said, it was much more difficult simply because there were fewer gaps, more traps, and they were in the trees. Eventually as the light began to fade out of the sky, Kiyoshi stopped.

"Why are we stopped?" Kasumi asked.

"After this point, every so often there is a plant that will go out of its way to kill us. 'A good offense is the best defense,' you know. As well as blind spots, ones that don't contain plant life. I suspect those are natural traps Kurama built this huge one around. So we'll sleep here." Kiyoshi replied.

"In the tree?"

"See that branch?" Kiyoshi pointed to a limb about one meter higher and five meters away from the one they were one, but growing from the same tree. "Watch." As if they could. So quickly their eyes could barely follow, hundreds of plants erupted from miniscule seeds in his hand to weave together and form a giant hammock.

Kasumi's eyes were wide. "Good Lord, Kiyoshi."

* * *

"I never realized it would be _this_ many."

"I didn't either, sir. And we're barely halfway from his birth year to present day."

Surrounding them were stacks and stacks and stacks of files.

"I suppose we shouldn't be surprised; I asked for _everything_. That means everything he was even _suspected_ of having a hand in."

* * *

For once Takeshi was quiet, something Kasumi was quick to notice. "You okay, Takeshi?"

He hesitated before answering, showing he wasn't telling the complete truth. "I'm a bit nervous because of all these plants; even the trees that are safe are crawling with dangerous ones, this one included." They understood what he meant; the tree Kiyoshi expected them to sleep in had a very creepy deep green vine growing all over it.

At Kasumi's next words, Takeshi looked away, his eyes landing instead on Kiyoshi. "Oh. I thought you might be a bit homesick, that you might miss your mother or something like that." And, since he had looked that way, Takeshi was the only one who saw Kiyoshi flinch at the word _mother_, before looking away from the group entirely.

And Takeshi decided to act macho, pass attention to someone else, and used that reaction as an excuse. But, because it was Takeshi, mocking had to be involved somehow. "I'm fine. But I think Kiyoshi might miss _his_ mommy."

Before anyone, least of all Kiyoshi, knew what was happening, Kiyoshi was on his feet and Takeshi had been thrown backwards eight feet and pinned to the trunk of the tree, suspended above a sea of deadly plants, by dark green ivy. The low light revealed that Takeshi's face was covered in fear, but Kiyoshi refused to look at them. His voice was forceful and uncompromising. "_Never_ say that again. _Never_ speak about my mother. You know _nothing_ about our relationship."

Akiko, like Hiei, however, couldn't let it rest. She had to see how far she could push him. "And if we do?" Her voice was cool, unaffected by fear, or even a rational amount of wariness.

"I will kill you." As he said this Kiyoshi turned, and Akiko stepped back, now truly afraid. Not of the words or his voice but of what she saw in his all-too-expressive eyes.

Kasumi saw them as well. And hidden behind hatred and rage was the guilt and pain so intense she wanted to cry _for_ Kiyoshi, because he absolutely refused to cry for himself. And she knew that, somehow, his mother was related to all the pain Kiyoshi held in his heart.

Then, simultaneously, the four of them realized that the vines holding Takeshi weren't the plant growing on Kiyoshi's arm. Nor had he grabbed seeds from his pack. The plants were some of those infused with Kurama's aura.

* * *

Kurama leapt straight up from a dead sleep and began pacing yet again. Yusuke opened his eyes and looked blearily up at the fox demon in front of him. "What is it this time, Kurama?"

Kurama didn't even seem to hear him but both Yusuke and Hiei, who was awake and silent, got the gist of what was going on and what was going through Kurama's mind from Kurama muttering to himself.

"Not surprising… after their display last time, their progress now is really not a huge deal… but this… this shouldn't even be _possible_! But he somehow managed to pull it off… pain, fear of death, sheer rage…? Which is it? Which could give him access to such power? Knowing Koenma and the type of people who work for him it's the last…" He spun around and his fist collide with an intricately carved wooden shelf, which promptly broke. He didn't blink, didn't seem to hear the broken pieces fall to the floor but continued his pacing, admitting out loud but to himself, "I am so… _confused_… even with that rage or whatever it was and the power he's already demonstrated… even with me miles away… there is _nothing_ that should have been able to force those plants to submit to anyone's will but my own… the fact that they _did_… that kind of power and control… it's frightening."


	17. Chapter Thirteen

I'm back, once again! I don't know if I've already said this or not, but most of the battles aren't going to be real battles ('cause I suck at writing those). They will be fights within the characters themselves. So, we shall continue now last chapters rather entertaining finish, while I only own Takeshi, Akiko, Kiyoshi, and Kasumi. I'm tired of saying Mizuko, because she is dead, dead, dead, dead, DEAD. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. And, to be honest, Kasumi is a fun character to write about when she gets truly angry. :) The reason the number is so large is that he stole so many things, and there is probably a large number of items he didn't steal that he is being blamed for in the files.

I accidentally deleted the reviews, so sorry I didn't reply to those. Thanks to those of you who did review. Also, on a happier note, I found my flash drive, so that's good.

And you guys, watch those you care about closely. Chances are, there is someone around you suffering silently, because they don't think anyone cares, or they don't want to hurt or burden those they know care, or they simply can't talk about it. Just make sure they know you care about them…

* * *

Slowly, with extreme care, the plants slipped off of Takeshi until only one held him, suspended in the air above hundreds of others that would kill him, if given half the chance. Kiyoshi's voice broke into the silence, threatening, frightening, "Never mention my mother again." Then Takeshi began to slowly move back towards the group, the only thing damaged being his pride.

The Kiyoshi seemed to collect himself. He took a deep breath and sat back down, all the emotions that had filled his eyes only seconds before suddenly vanished, to be replaced by disgust, before that too disappeared. And his green eyes went back to looking as they normally did; observant but unassuming and unobtrusive. His next words could barely be heard, but they thankfully came from the Kiyoshi they all knew, not the violent creature who had come very close to killing a friend only moments before. "I apologize, Takeshi. I was out of line. There is no way you could have known about my mother. I do miss her, but not in the same way you miss your mother. My mother died in a car… accident ten years ago." His hesitation told Kasumi that there was more to that story than he was letting on.

But before she could ask about it, Takeshi asked, "How did you do that with those plants? I thought they were being controlled by Kurama."

"They were. They _are_." He attempted in vain to manipulate the plant again. Then Kiyoshi sighed, looking up at the barely visible sky, and he closed his eyes. He put a hand to his forehead, attempting to organize his thoughts as he said, "I don't know how I did it. I thought I knew how strong I was but this… this says there is more going on with the whole copycat thing than Kurama is telling us. If he even knows himself. Because what I just did should have only been possible for someone at Kurama's power level. And I didn't use nearly enough aura for what was accomplished." He turned to face the others and explained, "If an object is infused with aura, it's difficult to get the aura completely out. But you can overcome it, superimposing it with your own, to manipulate the object in your favor instead. You know that already. I _think_, because Kurama is so powerful, to overcome his aura even from a distance would be incredibly difficult, for anyone. If he was actually here, it would be virtually impossible. In addition, his plants _like_ him, meaning they'll do what he wants whether he has a strong amount of aura backing them or not. They'll just be more effective the more aura there is."

"I am so confused."

"Basically, what I did shouldn't have been possible. The amount of aura it should have taken would have killed me to produce. Which means that either some weird quirk with the copycat genes, or some outside force was acting on those plants."

* * *

Spreading quickly through the demon plane were rumors of how demons—mostly C and D, but sometimes B—were being killed by a group of four. And easily.

The demons that gathered to discuss it were now starting reach the upper echelons of the demon plane's hierarchy. Mostly upper B, but a few A as well. And the few low class demons who had managed to escape, simply because they weren't worth the trouble, were enjoying their fifteen minutes of fame. And those demons spoke of only one of the humans. A male, quiet, without an impressive aura. Or so it had seemed. In truth, he was concealing a good majority of his aura. The most interesting part of it was, he only had one arm. A poisonous purple plant had taken the place of the other.

Rumors were spreading that he was actually a demon, adapted to be able to hide in the human world without attracting attention, even from those with a sixth sense, as well as avoiding attention from the underworld.

At one of these spontaneous gatherings, a hush fell over the demons. Even the arrogant ones classified as A, who probably could have defeated that group, knew it would be stupid to fight these demons. They had been a group for more than a century and a half. But any one of them could have single-handedly obliterated the entire group, their power so outstripped everyone else's.

The tallest said, a small grin covering his face, one that didn't reach his golden eyes, "Ignore us. We just want to hear what you all have to say. Word of a group of three humans and a demon has reached us and we were interested."

The fact that these S-class demons, although they all had strange histories when it came to dealing with humans, were interested created mass chaos among those present and all hell broke loose as the demons attempted to tell their version of events.

* * *

What Kasumi did next surprised everyone. She flew off the handle. First at Takeshi and Akiko, and then at Kiyoshi. "You _idiots_! Takeshi, are you so stupid that you didn't see the pain in his eyes, the hurt behind the rage? And Akiko—you. You sitting there staring at me and glancing at Kiyoshi so calmly. I _know_ you saw that pain. And the fact that you saw that, then calmly allowed him to speak of power. It _pisses me off_." Suddenly she spun around and faced Kiyoshi. "And you. You. For all your intelligence and good grades and for all you claim to hate stupid people and stupid questions, you are pretty damn stupid yourself. You won't let anyone in, Kiyoshi. You won't let go of your stupid ego for one second. And the only time you did, you made me swear not to tell anyone of it." Kasumi's rant seemed to begin to wind down now, but not because her anger had dissipated. She was simply running out of breath. But then she got a second wind. "No one cares, okay? This twisted expectation you have of yourself, that as a guy you're not allowed to cry is wrong. No one will give a damn about the tears if you cry. All any of us wants is for you to stop hurting so much. You said you didn't think Takeshi could take seeing you the way you were that day. Hell, it's still torturing _me_. But it wouldn't be so bad if you'd just let it all out." Kasumi let her rage at the others out by firing a shot into the branches. "Whatever fear or doubts Takeshi would obtain from seeing that, however much it hurt me to see that, I can tell that it is _absolutely nothing_ in comparison to what you keep to yourself every single day. And you said yourself that you worried he'd think of it at the worst moments, and might get himself killed. What about you? Couldn't that happen to you, too? Why can't you all just quit being so freaking idiotic?" Kasumi screamed the last part at all three of them, before stopping and panting, completely out of breath.

When Kiyoshi looked at her she stepped backward, stunned by how open his eyes were. He looked so _vulnerable_. So broken. Those impenetrable green eyes were filled with tears that Kiyoshi still refused to shed. "It could happen to me. I might die because of it. But for a long time now I've been too far gone to care. I'll try to tell you the source of my pain. Maybe you'll understand, but you probably won't. And I honestly don't think I'll actually be able to tell you."

* * *

Botan stood outside Koenma's office door, listening to Koenma rant to himself. His team disappearing this quickly was probably the _worst_ thing that could have happened. "Stupidity! Why can't there ever be intelligent and powerful people who are content to do what they're told? It's a serious flaw in human nature. Humans make me so mad! They are far too independent. Arrrrggggghhhhh!" Botan heard a crash and flung open the door.

"Sir, are you okay?" His desk had been overturned and papers fluttered to the ground.

"You heard all of that Botan?"

"Yes, sir. I thought it was best to wait until you were finished." There was an awkward silence. "I have the last six files on Kurama, sir."

"That makes how many?"

"Ummm… We kind of… lost count at around 5,000, sir."

"And what year were you at then?"

"1372."

"Oh, Lord."

* * *

"What do you mean?" Kasumi sank to her knees next to Kiyoshi. Halfway through her tirade she had realized what she was actually saying. But she hadn't been able to stop herself. And she _definitely_ hadn't expected Kiyoshi to actually take those angry words to heart.

As usual, Akiko didn't get involved, but watched instead. But not with her usual look of a slight but detached interest. Her face actually looked concerned. Whether about Kiyoshi, or Kiyoshi flipping out and hurting Kasumi, the others couldn't tell.

Takeshi looked guilty at having set off this chain of events. And bewildered as to why Kiyoshi would hurt so much, and avoid letting them see to protect him.

"I have never told anyone about what really happened that day… not even my father…" Kiyoshi mused, trying to put into words the feelings he had kept to himself for as long as he could remember.

Kasumi just listened, didn't try and force him to continue. When he seemed to have forgotten what he was doing, she prompted gently, "What day?"

"The day my mother died, okay?" Kiyoshi snapped, lashing out, naturally using anger to protect himself.

"But why can't you talk to anyone about it?"

* * *

Koenma and Botan had quickly discovered that nearly all of the files were completely unhelpful. They were related to Kurama only in the sense that, of the suspects, he was at the top of the list. There were a few inconsequential details about his life before he began stealing, but nothing to suggest where he might hide stolen treasures. Then, of course, the stretch of time he had worked for Koenma.

But in the last century and a half, there had been random sightings of him, for brief periods in different parts of Makai. Plotted on a map, they looked strange. Completely random at first glance, but somehow purposeful when you looked closer. Then Koenma understood. Each of these sightings was a hint for him. A hint telling either where one of the treasure stashes was or where Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei were hiding.

Koenma snorted. Trust Kurama to come up with something like this. Koenma knew Kurama well enough to know that there was enough information for his three missing employees to be found. But Koenma also knew that Kurama had an unnatural ability to analyze just how much information was necessary to figure out a puzzle and he most likely would have only given the bare minimum. His first instinct was to mutter, "Kurama could figure this out." Then he realized that, if not for Kurama, he wouldn't be _trying_ to figure this puzzle out.

* * *

"I… I… I just can't." Kiyoshi stuttered. "Because if I told someone what actually happened… if I said it out loud… it would make it real. As it is, part of the time I can pretend everything is as it seemed. But if I admitted it out loud, it would be true forever. I would never be able to escape what I did, even for a moment."

Kasumi reached up to touch Kiyoshi on the shoulder, which was now racked with sobs. But before she could place her hand there to comfort him, she froze, because she heard his next words. He was no longer speaking to her, but debating with himself. His words were whispered, cried, said barely loud enough for the others to hear. But they screamed the reason for all of his pain. "I would never be able to escape the fact that I killed my mother."

After he uttered these words, a silence came over the group, interrupted only by Kiyoshi's occasional sob.

* * *

"Well, that was certainly… enlightening."

The look Hiei gave Kurama stated quite clearly that he thought Kurama was insane. Yusuke didn't comment but obviously agreed. Kurama saw these looks and said, "You didn't see the fear in that place, before we uncloaked our energies? As well, as the fear afterwards. Fear of _humans_, fear of demons." He shook is head in mock disappointment. "What the demon plane has come to. The descriptions were interesting as well."

"But you didn't learn anything significant." Hiei pointed out.

"True. Kind of reminds me of high school. Some of it is fascinating, but none of it is important, interesting, and applicable."

"Then what was your purpose in going? Everything you do is carefully plotted out. Always."

"I'm tired of monotony. For a while I've been giving Koenma very subtle hints. Not that he'll be able to figure them out. His mind doesn't work the right way. Maybe he'll notice the pattern, but there is no way he'll actually figure it out. For that he will need the intelligence of someone who thinks like I do. And then he might figure out that the entire thing is a false lead."

Hiei raised his eyebrows and Yusuke's mouth dropped open. After a few moments Yusuke asked, "Kurama, why can't you tell us about stuff like this _before_ you actually carry it out?


	18. Chapter Fourteen

This chapter… took forever to find the enthusiasm to start. And once I found the enthusiasm, it took awhile to figure out what the right beginning was. But I'm pretty happy with it. :) Although, what Kiyoshi does is needed more for the set up of what happens later (I needed an excuse for him and Akiko to fight) and what sane or partially sane person would want everyone to know that they killed their own mother? I only own, well, you guys know the drill.

Thanks to those of you who reviewed. As an author, that always makes me happy. :)

And if you can figure out the anagram, extra points! Or rather, some points, since I haven't given any out before now. But the next chapter is dedicated to you, even if I don't say so _in_ the next chapter. And, just on the off-chance that someone isn't sure what an anagram is (I always get them confused with ambigrams and other such puzzle-like things) it's when the letters in a word or a phrase are all rearranged to say something else.

* * *

Without warning Akiko and Takeshi collapsed. In the second it took for Kasumi to turn and look to see what had happened, Kiyoshi stood. When she stood and faced him, her voice was accusatory, no longer sympathetic. "What did you do to them, Kiyoshi?"

Tears continued streaming down his face, a small consolation for Kasumi, because she could see that his emotions had been more than just a ruse. And when he answered, he averted his eyes, ashamed at what he had done. "Dream flower pollen. When they wake up, they won't remember anything after me explaining why it was such a big deal that Kurama's plants submitted to my will."

"Why, Kiyoshi? And why not me, too?" Her voice sounded slightly hurt, that Kiyoshi would stoop so low as to interfere with his own teammates' memories.

He paused. "The reasons are the same as before. As for why I didn't erase your memory… you were right, Kasumi. I hurt less. I may not be able to escape it entirely ever again, but doing so won't be quite so necessary, either. Did you _want_ be to erase them?"

"No!"

"Then this will have to do." A plant shot towards Kasumi from Kiyoshi's closed fist. It hit her and she fell, almost immediately beginning to lose consciousness. She stared up at Kiyoshi, the betrayal she felt evident on her face. Seeing it he said, "Don't worry; that's just to make you sleep. Tomorrow is going to be more dangerous than today was." She drifted off then, her ears barely registering his soft words, "Thank you, Kasumi."

* * *

Akiko woke suddenly, and a strange scent settled in her nostrils. Strange, perhaps, but not unrecognizable. She thought back to the night before and understood. And that understanding was grounds for her to get angry. Very angry. She leapt up and strode as best she could on the uneven and unstable surface to where Kiyoshi lay. And she slapped him awake. Hard.

Takeshi and Kasumi woke to the dulcet tones of what Kasumi considered to be two incredibly smart people… who were once again acting like complete idiots. Then, because she knew it would distract at least one of them, she turned on her communicator to call Koenma. As she did so, she listened.

"What was that for?!"

"I don't care about your reasons. My memories are my memories. Do not use dream flower pollen on me again."

Kiyoshi, far from being angrier that she had discovered what he did, looked intrigued, "How did you know?"

"My tribe uses it for healing; erasing memories of a traumatic event can work wonders."

"How nice to see my team is still getting along." The sarcastic and unexpected voice made both Kiyoshi and Akiko turn. "I can see that this is a bad time, but I'm going to have to interrupt anyway. I don't know how long it'll be before Kasumi shuts this thing off again." His voice clearly stated his disapproval.

"She won't need to." Kiyoshi sounded bored, now that his spat with Akiko was over. "I had wanted her to keep it off so you wouldn't be able to track us using the scenery or some type of high-tech, inter-planar, GPS-like device hidden in the communicators. To prove how much it doesn't matter now, I'll turn mine on as well. You just can't keep calling it, because the distraction might kill us in here." He reached into his pack and turned his on. Seeing the look on Koenma's face, confusion because of Kiyoshi's sudden cooperation, Kiyoshi added, "Now that we're in here, it won't matter if you know where we are; you can't stop us."

Koenma's eyes narrowed. Even after his last team he hadn't become accustomed to being patronized by people who worked for him. Then again, Kiyoshi was just stating the facts as they were. At this point, short of blowing the whole place up, he couldn't get in. And he couldn't use explosives with his team inside. Instead, he looked down, hit a few buttons and said, "Kiyoshi, could you take a look at this map and tell me what you make of it?"

Almost immediately, Kiyoshi's device began beeping. He flipped it open and the other three looked over his shoulder at the carefully plotted points. Then they looked at Kiyoshi.

* * *

In Koenma's office, Koenma watched his team via Kasumi's communicator Akiko's face showed she didn't know what he was getting at, what he wanted Kiyoshi to see, but that she also didn't care. Takeshi and Kasumi looked unimpressed by the map, but confused as to what it meant. Kiyoshi's face revealed almost nothing. So little, in fact, that Koenma suspected Kiyoshi was revealing that small amount of emotion on purpose. Koenma let that one slide. "What do you see?"

"I see that you are… missing information."

"What?! How could you know that?"

"This is a game. I'm assuming you already know that. But to see the entire thing, we are missing pieces. Which means that either those pieces have escaped _you_ or Kurama hasn't given them to you yet. I think it's the first."

"Why the first? And who said anything about Kurama?"

"The first because the final points look strangely _complete_. As for Kurama… I can see the file description, sir. 'Sightings of Urameshi, Kurama, and Hiei since 2010.' Kurama's name is highlighted."

Koenma sighed. Was it really any wonder Kiyoshi was such a danger to the underworld? He controlled an inordinate amount of power and his mind had basically the abilities of an intelligence analyst's times eleven. 'Damn good thing he hasn't turned against me,' Koenma thought. Then, because of the fiasco with his last team and Kiyoshi's completely gray morals, his mind instinctively added, 'Yet.'

* * *

Kasumi really didn't care about the map. She understood the importance of the map, but it meant nothing to her at this particular moment. What interested her was the look on the boy's face. Tempered by a lifetime of hiding his pain, Kiyoshi's face showed nothing of his thoughts but what he wanted people to see. Along with his slight curiosity, he was allowing them to see a faint undercurrent of something else she couldn't identify. "Well, I'll see if I can find the other spots." Koenma said, and the object in Kasumi's hand flashed once before dimming to a monotonous gray, after which she flipped it shut. Kiyoshi also closed his, although with slightly more restraint than the snapping of Kasumi's.

And then the curiosity disappeared. Leaving only the faint… amusement. As usual, Kiyoshi understood more than he was letting on.

But she didn't have a chance to ask because Kiyoshi said, "We should probably start moving. We're wasting daylight."

* * *

Koenma, Botan, and several others were digging fervently through the files on Kurama, looking for something. Anything. So far they had found reports of two sightings they had previously missed. Not that two points made much difference on a map that was already a random smattering of dots. But Koenma trusted Kiyoshi. More than he probably should. Trust was a bad habit of his. One that was one of the main reasons he was in the position he was in. He had trusted two delinquents, a murderer, and a thief.

Koenma didn't know it, but they would only find two more locations. And he still wouldn't see what Kiyoshi had seen in only seconds.

* * *

"Beautiful, Akiko."

"Right."

Before them were frozen plants, reaching out to attack them. "I'm serious," Kiyoshi said.

"Then thanks, I guess."

They traveled a few more meters before Kiyoshi swung down from the tree, landing in a cat-like crouch on the ground. They had reached a small clearing. A crystal clear river ran through it, at a fairly slow pace. "The only way to get through it is by going across the river."

"Interesting." Kasumi said. "How is flowing water up to Kurama's usual standards?"

It wasn't Kiyoshi who answered. It was Akiko. "It's up to his standards because that _isn't_ water."

"Then what is it?"

"I think what is happening is that some source is heating it to such a high temperature that it looks like water; I think it's actually glass."

"_Glass_?"

"Glass." The last came from Kiyoshi. A respectful grin covered his face. "Ingenious, isn't it? It's possible, if unlikely, that people have gotten through to here, then collapsed exhausted into the 'water,' thinking to cool off." He then threw a small chunk of wood he had picked up into the stream. It was carried away, but not before they had seen it catch fire from sheer heat. "The perfect irony, no? Get in to cool off, and you will be burned to death."

Kasumi looked at Kiyoshi whose eyes were alight and whose mouth was turned up at one corner. She then said, "Kiyoshi… what's funny about this situation?"

"Puzzles… that's what this is. There's more to this than meets the eye. Or the sixth sense. We just need to figure out what the missing pieces are. And I was thinking about Kurama's little publicity stunt."

"His what?"

"The points on the map. Places he's been seen. He's entertaining himself."

"And you came to this conclusion because…?" Kasumi was quickly becoming frustrated with Kiyoshi's cryptic messages.

"Let's just say that Koenma is off on a search for information he doesn't need."

"What do you meant? You told him you couldn't figure it out." Why couldn't he ever just come out and say what he meant?

"I said he was missing information. I didn't say I couldn't figure it out, or that he actually needed that information. I already know what it is, anyway."

"Then why doesn't Koenma understand the message?"

"Sometimes solutions can be so simple people overlook them. The puzzle was a simple connect-the-dots. The form letters. Some of which are missing dots and what I believe to be the last letter."

"Which is?"

"A."

"What does it say?"

"Out his candy ear, Koenma."

"And that is supposed to mean…?"

"Do you really think Kurama would make it as simple as connect-the-dots?"

"You just said it was simple."

"The part Koenma was missing. Which you need to figure out the second, more complicated part. And when he finally figures that out, he'll know there is a hidden meaning. Kurama isn't one to give out meaningless messages."

"What are you talking about? As far as I can tell, 'out his candy ear, Koenma' has no meaning."

A sly smile spread across Kiyoshi's face. "It's an anagram."

* * *

"How are they doing, Kurama?" Yusuke asked.

"Did you have to ask? Did you have to encourage him?" Hiei groaned.

"They've made it to the river of glass." Kurama muttered, barely looking up. He had been unresponsive for most of the day. What was unusual was that he was sitting his elbows on the table in front of him. His fingers were laced together and his golden eyes surveyed the room over them. The unusual part was that his thoughts didn't have him so agitated that he had begun pacing. Now he seemed almost calm. "They have almost reached the final stretch of my test. I hope they stop where they are for the night. If they don't there won't be any place they can rest."

"We should just let them die, if you ask me," was Hiei's callous remark.

"What happened to 'meeting them will be fun'?"

"Hmmm… Well, I've decided that leaving another note here, and any other place we stop, leading them on what is essentially a pointless chase to find someone they can't would be _more_ fun. And then we can see how long it takes them to either catch up to us—unlikely—or get themselves killed." Kurama looked at Hiei for a moment before deciding that it might actually be a good idea if Hiei had suggested it for entertainment rather than out of pure maliciousness.

But Kurama's eyes were still alight. "No, Hiei. But we _can_ continue annoying Koenma. I need something else to do while we wait for the team or I think I might go insane."


	19. Chapter Fifteen

Now, I shall finally type chapter fifteen. I like it, but the next chapter will be EPIC. Can't wait. You know who I own, there are no new characters. And starting with this chapter, there will be more description of the characters other than Kiyoshi, Akiko in particular.

Second, I just finished reading the eighteenth book, and there is one issue with the connection between Hiei/Yukina/Akiko that doesn't work with what I had planned for this story. However, I think I will be able to work with it. This is just to serve as a warning that not everything is going to fit perfectly with the story in reference to those three.

Thanks to all of you who reviewed. As I said before, this chapter is dedicated to those of you who got (or at least took a stab at) the anagram. And, when you get to the solution, I am sorry. I was too lazy to get the letters in Koenma to fit into the actual anagram, and I'm afraid I may have confused you all with that. Oops. Anyway, virtual cookies to anyone who tried, because I like cookies way better than 'extra points,' whatever those are in this context.

The people who guessed and got virtual cookies were:

AmethystNight88: I am totally jealous of your anagram skills. I gave up trying to fit the letters in 'Koenma' into the anagram, but you came up with three… NOT FAIR. Anyway, thanks for trying. Here's your cookies!

* * *

"An anagram?" Kasumi had stopped in her examination of their surroundings, taken aback by the genius simplicity of what Kiyoshi was saying. "For _what_, might I ask?"

"'Can you read this, Koenma?' Essentially, Kurama is mocking the underworld. He's sending Koenma a message that won't reveal anything, if he can even figure it out. The only thing I'm getting from it is that despite Kurama's, Yusuke's, and Hiei's renown, they still have the ability to travel across vast distances with complete anonymity. Somehow I doubt Koenma will get _that_ message."

"And you have no intention of telling him." It was a statement, not a question. "Why?"

"Letting him figure it out will distract him from us and give him something to do. Kurama has made it possible for everyone to win in this little game. Koenma doesn't pay attention to us, so he doesn't catch up to us; we win. He's distracted, so he doesn't worry; he wins. His old team still can't be found; Kurama wins."

"That really is… amazing…" Kasumi trailed off, her eyes no longer focusing on Kiyoshi but on a point behind him. She then asked, "What is _that_?"

Kiyoshi turned around, attempting to locate what Kasumi was talking about. But when he turned, he saw nothing different in the clearing. "What is what?"

"That." She pointed at the grass next to the river. "Why is that grass different?"

"Just a different species."

"Oh. Is there a reason it's only growing right next to the river?" The plants she was referring to were of a slightly lighter shade than the rest, and were growing only on the riverbank. Kiyoshi understood what she was asking, but was surprised that she had noticed. The difference was so subtle, he had missed it the first time he looked around the clearing.

"Probably because it needs… more… water…" Kiyoshi trailed off, struck suddenly by the incongruity of water-loving plants right next to a river that incinerated anything it came in contact with. "Could that mean…?" he muttered to himself. These small inconsistencies were obviously what he had been missing. But he still couldn't help but wonder if he was misinterpreting them. If what he was about to do was incredibly stupid.

The thoughtful look in Kiyoshi's eyes was mixed with an awe Kasumi hadn't seen there before. Suddenly, Kiyoshi crossed the clearing, took a deep breath, and plunged his hand through the surface of the clear, glass-like, semi-liquid.

An unintelligible scream echoed through the clearing.

* * *

They had plotted out the four points and still Koenma could see no rhyme or reason to the locations. He knew the fallacy wasn't Kurama's. His first conclusion was that Kiyoshi had made a mistake. But then he realized that Kiyoshi had _predicted_ that Koenma was missing information. Which suggested that he had understood more than he was telling Koenma. "Damn it," he said. Botan looked curiously at him for a moment and he added,

"Kiyoshi is hiding things from me again."

Tentatively, as if unsure suggesting it was wise, Botan asked, "What if this puzzle is simpler than we thought? If you connect-the-dots letters begin to form…"

Koenma looked up, startled by the simplicity of it. Looking at the screen, he could see it, too. "You're right…"

* * *

The scream that had shattered the silence had not been Kiyoshi screaming in pain. It was Kasumi's attempt to keep him from doing something incredibly stupid. But all it had served to do was startle him so badly he fell in completely. Kasumi shrieked again and ran to the place Kiyoshi had fallen in, but she was unable to do anything as his flesh was burned beyond recognition.

"Are you going to stand there gawking or are you going to pull me out?"

Kasumi jumped back, startled by the clarity of Kiyoshi's voice. Slightly downstream, out of her peripheral vision, Kasumi saw a shimmer and then Kiyoshi stepped out of the river, dripping wet, but completely unharmed. "But… but… but…" Kasumi stuttered, "You fell in."

"Only because you screamed bloody murder so loudly I jumped. I was only going to stick my hand in."

"But I saw your skin burned and… and.. Kiyoshi, tell me what the hell is going on!" She punched him on the shoulder, her relief he was alive turning to rage that he was, once again, not telling her the whole story.

"Ow. That kind of hurt, Kasumi." He rubbed the spot where she had slugged him but, seeing the look on Kasumi's face, he promptly added, "Okay, okay. Let me begin by saying that the folklore we learned as children is actually correct. Because it would appear that fox demons _are_ capable of casting illusions. Very elaborate illusions."

* * *

Koenma and Botan were staring at the screen. "Sir, I'm not going to lie… I am very confused. The only thing I'm sure of is that he's trying to tell you something. Just to state the obvious."

"But what in the world could he mean by _that_?"

Koenma had used an application that allowed him to connect-the-dots on a scan of the map. And blazing back at him from the glowing screen were five words, all relatively simple, but utterly confusing when put together. _Out his candy ear, Koenma_.

* * *

"An illusion?"

"Yes; a very frightening one. I fell in and the illusion _continued_; it didn't break, even though I had become part of it. I could see my own flesh burning away…" Kiyoshi looked visibly shaken, as if realizing for the first time the true significance of his own mortality.

"If it's just water, I can freeze it." Akiko muttered to herself. "The question is whether the illusion will break once the water is frozen… Probably not." She thought for a moment, before concentrating on freezing the water. As she suspected, the river of molten glass continued on. To make sure it was actually frozen, she grabbed the arm of the person closest to her, which happened to be Takeshi, and pushed him in.

"Oh my God! Ow, ow!" Slipping and sliding, he managed to fall back to the shore. Looking up at the short girl in front of him he said, sarcastically, "Thanks for that. It was probably the weirdest experience of my life. Visually, I was submerged in liquid and could see my skin…" He shuddered. "Never mind. But physically, I was dry and on a hard surface so cold it hurt."

The smile on Akiko's face was a curious one. It wasn't a cold, fake smile that didn't reach her icy blue eyes, nor was it a smile of happiness. It _did_ reach her eyes, but it conveyed a satisfaction with having achieved a goal, nothing more. When she responded to Takeshi her voice was similar, "Perfect."

The flurry of activity over the next few minutes started with Akiko explaining what she was going to do. It culminated in yet another argument between Akiko and Kiyoshi.

"We must wait until morning to cross." Kiyoshi insisted.

"We _must_? Who determines what we _must_ do?" Akiko responded.

"Do you have any idea what's on the other side of this river?" Kiyoshi snapped. "Because I sure as hell don't. I can't even sense the illusion itself, which is strange. Who's to say there isn't something that will eat us alive the moment we set foot on the opposite bank? It's safer to stay here for the night and wait until morning, when we will be well rested and ready for that kind of attack."

"What's on the other side won't have changed by tomorrow. We won't have gotten enough rest for it to make a true difference. We'll have to deal with it sooner or later," Akiko pointed out. "I vote sooner. At least that way we can get it over with."

"But if we keep moving, there might not be a place to stop before nightfall."

Akiko glared at Kiyoshi, her blue eyes blazing, before saying with a quiet yet forceful conviction, "You are afraid that you will not be able to defeat whatever is on the other side of this illusion. You are running from reality. While you may be mature beyond your years, Kiyoshi, you have yet to learn that facing adversity is the only sure way to grow stronger. I know not what you are hiding from us, but I do know this: you live in a state of perpetual sorrow and pain, but you pretend you don't. This illusion before us represents your entire life, and you fear that when you step through it, the lies you have built up around you will be stripped away, leaving nothing but the truth." The barbed words hit their mark, but Kiyoshi's only reactions were to flinch slightly and then narrow his eyes.

Watching them, Kasumi groaned. "Why can't you two just get along? Even Takeshi and I have managed to basically get along. We've fought less than you two at least. Everything would be so much simpler that way."

Kiyoshi and Akiko ignored her, but Takeshi asked a question both Kiyoshi and Kasumi had pondered, a question they had decided it was safer not to ask. "Why are you so eager to move on, Akiko? What's in it for you, if we do find Kurama at the end of this trail he has laid?" The silence that pervaded the clearing was absolute.

For several long moments Akiko gazed unblinkingly at Takeshi. Then, "Hiei is traveling with him. It is of the greatest necessity that I speak with him," she answered, her carefully worded answer revealing exactly nothing of any importance.

"You wish to spick with Hiei?" Kasumi asked, surprised by this response.

"Aye."

"But _why_?"

Akiko turned away from them. "The issue I need to discuss began with Yukina. None of my ancestors or relatives since her have pushed their power as I have. Nor have they been so… hot-tempered. If anyone can answer my questions, it's Hiei. In fact, I'm sure he _can_ answer them; the question is whether or not he actually _will_."

Takeshi raised a single eyebrow before saying what was on everyone's mind. "That was perfectly vague. You just explained everything without explaining anything."

Akiko grinned slightly, her devious smile showing she had no intention of elaborating on her answer. "Glad you noticed. Do you have a problem with it?"

* * *

As Kiyoshi had predicted, Koenma had quickly begun to obsess over the meaning behind Kurama's message. His eyes stared blankly at the screen while his mind went through every conceivable meaning behind the strange words. Finally he sighed and reluctantly typed in the code that called Kasumi, his team leader.

When she answered, she looked stressed. "Kiyoshi and Akiko were arguing again." She explained.

"Well, I need to speak with all of you for a moment." He sent a clean scan of the map to Kiyoshi and said, "Can any of you read this map?"

They all looked at it for a moment before Kiyoshi asked, "Can _you_ read this, Koenma?"

Koenma didn't pause, not realizing Kiyoshi had just given him the answer and launched into an explanation of the bizarre statement he read in the map. "Does that help any?" he asked.

"Not really." Kiyoshi muttered.

"Well, thanks for trying." Koenma looked disappointed but not the least bit suspicious. He hit a button and was once again alone in his office.

* * *

Kasumi turned to the others and said, "Akiko, I know you want to move on. Kiyoshi, I know you don't. Takeshi, what do you think?"

Takeshi said, "I think there's enough light to keep moving, but… I'm really tired."

Kasumi thought for a moment before saying, "I second that. Let's set up camp."

The sour look on Akiko's face said she didn't like it, but she complied all the same. Kiyoshi merely looked relieved. Kasumi sighed, wishing there had been some way to please them both. But that was about as possible as making them get along.

* * *

Hiei watched his two companions. He wasn't going to join this argument for several reasons. First, he agreed with Yusuke. And he never agreed with Yusuke, simply because it made Kurama mad. In this case, however, it was because Hiei never joined a fight—or an argument—on the side that was destined to lose. And he had yet to see Yusuke match wits with Kurama and win. Kurama was just too stubborn. And logical. And just too damn persuasive.

So Hiei watched as the inevitable happened. He watched as Kurama slowly but surely convinced Yusuke that driving Koenma insane was a good idea, one that wouldn't get them caught.

And he watched as Kurama outlined a plan to do just that.


	20. Chapter Sixteen

Hola! I don't own any characters other than those four. Thanks for your reviews! This chapter is intense (at least, writing it was intense). Chapter sixteen: ready, set, go!

* * *

The night passed still and quiet, but for the creeping of the plants surrounding the clearing, and the slow, silent movement of the illusion of molten glass. When Akiko and the others woke, an unnerving silence had settled itself over them. It was ominous, somehow, as if hinting that something big was going to happen. And soon.

Kiyoshi still seemed hesitant to continue, so Akiko and Kasumi each grabbed him by one arm, Akiko ignoring the jabbing protests of the plants on Kiyoshi's arm. "We need to _move_, Kiyoshi. We can't just hide in here forever. You and Akiko arguing would drive me insane," Kasumi muttered. And then they shoved him through the illusion, Kasumi wincing as she watched him burn. Quickly, she, Akiko, and Takeshi followed.

"Oh my god!" Kasumi said, before falling over. She could see her own flesh burning, could see the glass surrounding her as if she was swimming in it. But she could feel the ice solid beneath her feet and she wasn't in pain until her hands hit the unearthly cold of Akiko's ice. It was the most disorienting thing she had ever experienced.

At about the same moment she fell down, she heard a thump from behind her. "Idiots." She heard Akiko mutter from somewhere in front of her, "Just close your eyes. The illusion is only visual. It's just so powerful, most people wouldn't realize that. They'd see that and the basic mind over matter would naturally take over. They'd drown before they ever escaped."

Kasumi did as Akiko suggested and found she was right; although she couldn't see and still couldn't keep her balance, she could feel the ice beneath her feet. Her sight could no longer lie to her.

After several long minutes, they emerged on the other side, Kiyoshi, Takeshi, and Kasumi shivering because they had fallen down so often.

But the sight that greeted them wasn't the one they had been expecting. Instead of the forest they had anticipated, there was a cavern containing all of the treasures the surrounding area was intended to protect. A labyrinth of passageways created by items stacked one on top of the other, sometimes more than six feet high.

Akiko and Kasumi both stepped forward only to be stopped by Takeshi and Kiyoshi. Takeshi then muttered, "Something doesn't feel quite right here. I can't put my finger on it… but the aura in this place is off. And it isn't just the aura of the objects in the room, either."

Kiyoshi nodded in agreement. "It might be another illusion."

* * *

Koenma sat alone in his office, still puzzling over the words in Kurama's message. Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted by a loud rapping on the door, before it was thrown open to slam loudly against the wall.

Looking up he saw Botan, leading for of the underworld's most competent spies. Four people who were currently stationed in four different areas of the demon plane, unless there was an emergency, in which case they were to report back to him immediately.

Koenma looked at them, perplexed. "What in the world is going on? Surely you can't all have had emergencies at the same time. The likelihood of such a coincidence is incredibly low."

Botan responded, "If I may speak, sir, _coincidence_ may not be the right word. And they all arrived within six minutes of each other… claiming the same emergency."

"The… _same_ one? What's going on that is that widespread?! And how could it reach such drastic proportions before I heard about it?!" Koenma jumped up, slapping the palms of his hands onto his desk.

Botan chose her next words carefully. "It's not really that widespread… In fact, as far as I can tell, no one outside this room knows of it at all. But you issued a decree fifty three years ago saying that any news they received of your team was to be treated as an emergency. Kurama obviously designed this, but this time we know Hiei and Yusuke are in on it."

"You have got to be kidding me, Kurama." Koenma muttered, sinking back into his seat. "I haven't figured out your _last_ puzzle yet."

* * *

"It's not an illusion…" Akiko muttered, her logic for once overshadowing Kiyoshi's. "If it was, you guys wouldn't be able to sense it, remember? Something else is going on here." She said it confidently, but the care with which she stepped forward showed that she wasn't as certain as she seemed.

When nothing happened, however, she continued moving forward. Eventually, she turned and said, "You guy coming or not? That letter could be anywhere in these piles of junk." Kasumi snorted at the idea that what probably amounted to millions or billions of dollars in treasure was 'junk.'

"Well, as long as we're looking, we might as well record all of this stuff, since we'll have to do it anyway. I was bored, and I found out that if you hold down the _three_ button and hit the camera button at the same time, it doesn't send the picture to Koenma, but it does save it in your device." Kasumi said, suggesting they actually do their job. The others groaned, but nodded in agreement.

As he took pictures, Takeshi felt uneasy. There was a prickling on the back of his neck that seemed to suggest he was being watched. But by what, or who, he couldn't guess. However, every time he turned around, no one was there. This served to make him almost as nervous as he had been in the trees. Perhaps even more so; at least then he had known what was making him nervous.

He looked over his shoulder for what felt like the hundredth time and jumped, "Aaahhh!" When he jumped, he fell backward into the stack of items he had been looking through. The column collapsed, the noise ringing through the cave. Then his brain caught up with his eyes; it was only Kiyoshi.

Kiyoshi looked at him a moment before offering a hand to help him up, saying, "You feel it too."

Takeshi nodded as his pulse slowed and he allowed the older boy to help him up. Then, almost simultaneously, Kasumi and Akiko appeared, attracted by the crash. "What happened here?" Kasumi asked.

"Nothing much." Takeshi muttered, "Kiyoshi just tried to give me a heart attack, is all."

As Kasumi turned on him, Kiyoshi added quickly, "Not on _purpose_. I needed to ask him a question. And he was already a bit nervous. The fact that he was jumpy answers my question." Without another word, Kiyoshi walked off to do his job, leaving Kasumi to stare after him in disbelief. Every once in a while he glanced around himself, showing that he, too, felt threatened by the unseen presence.

"What was that about?" Kasumi demanded. "And why are you so nervous, Takeshi?"

"You guys don't _feel_ that?" Takeshi asked, incredulous.

Akiko and Kasumi shook their heads, Akiko saying, "Nothing more than the strange aura from when we walked in, which I attribute to these powerful artifacts."

"That's not it," Takeshi said, his voice stunned and quiet, "I think we're being watched. And I think Kiyoshi thinks so too."

* * *

Koenma had decided that dealing with the current problem was more important than attempting to decipher Kurama's cryptic message. The fact that Kurama had been capable of discovering both the identities and the locations of his best undercover agents was deeply disturbing to Koenma. The fact that he also had the ability to contact them without revealing his own location made this, in Koenma's mind, a low-level crisis.

"So at some point in the past two days you each received a letter from Kurama? I won't ask why you didn't report it before now." Koenma said. Upon seeing their nods, he commanded, "Let me see them."

One by one, they stepped quietly up to his desk, and each placed a small slip of paper on the desk in front of him. Each was addressed with two names—that of the agent it had been delivered to, and that of Koenma. As he read them, Koenma's expression grew steadily more frustrated.

_Sora and Koenma,  
__First, we have a question. Can you read this, Koenma? Second, do you have any idea where we are? How is it that the kind of the underworld can't keep track of his own employees? This is the second time, if you don't mind us pointing that out. Sora, do not take this to Koenma until 7:41 a.m. on the morning of October the sixteenth. If you deliver it before that time, we will know, and you will suffer the consequences._

_Katashi and Koenma,  
__You should have figured out by now that, in the demon plane, we can travel about as we please. Unless we wish it to be so, no one is aware of our travels; this means that any attempts to catch us are in vain. Katashi, do not take this to Koenma until 7:41 a.m. on the morning of October the sixteenth. If you deliver it before that time, we will know, and you will suffer the consequences._

_Kyou and Koenma,  
__You should know that your new team interests us. Immensely. We just wonder about your carelessness. This agent was all too easy to discover, first of all. Second, why would you send your precious new team into such a dangerous situation? You are completely aware of what we are capable of. Kyou, do not take this to Koenma until 7:41 on the morning of October the sixteenth. If you deliver it before that time, we will know, and you will suffer the consequences._

_Michi and Koenma,  
We imagine you are tracking your team using a GPS. However, following them would be… inadvisable. Doing so could have disastrous effects in regards to the health of your employees. Don't think of this as a threat; think of it more as insurance. For we hold nothing against your team. But neither will we suffer any qualms from killing them in order to avoid you. Michi, do not take this to Koenma until 7:41 on the morning of October the sixteenth. If you deliver it before that time, we will know, and you will suffer the consequences._

Each was signed _Yoko Kurama_, _Yusuke Urameshi_, and _Jaganshi Hiei_.

Koenma had grown pale. The threats against his agents had seemed to startle him, pushing him close to his breaking point. But to see it written down, so blatantly obvious… Hiei's willingness came as no surprise, but the fact that Kurama and Yusuke were willing to kill his new team because of something he did… to see that was simply too much. He said nothing, simply pushed the papers away from himself, and leaned forward to rest his forehead on his desk. In the absolute silence in the office, he was struck by a sudden thought, one that made him leap up and start raging around the room, seemingly oblivious to everyone else present.

"Damn it, Kurama! That's all you were trying to tell me?! You and Kiyoshi both! I thought it was _important_! But you've just been _screwing_ with me for the past hundred and fifty years, because this is just a game to you! Are lives this expendable, Kurama? Is that how you see this? I thought you had changed. But now you throw this crap at me?" He gestured violently to the letters written in Kurama's tidy script. "What is _wrong_ with you?!"

* * *

"Watched? As in video cameras or people are actually, physically _here_?"

"I'm not sure… Probably the second." Takeshi responded slowly, not wanting to alarm Kasumi. It didn't work.

"What?!" she shrieked.

Before Takeshi could answer a shrill beeping followed by enraged shouting issued from the other side of a stack of very large, very old books. The three of them rushed over to where Kiyoshi stood. Or rather, Takeshi and Kasumi rushed with Akiko walking slowly behind them. They found Kiyoshi looking bored and listening to an irate Koenma go off on him. Finally, as Koenma's rant wound down, Kiyoshi asked, "Does this improve your mood any?" before showing Koenma the room in front of him.

Koenma gaped for a moment before saying, "Where _are_ you guys?"

The answer he got was not the one he expected, nor from the person he expected to answer. And it startled him immensely, as well as making him look up in confusion and disbelief.

* * *

Kurama, Hiei, and Yusuke had approached the group that was now in front of them silently, their energy cloaked. And then Kurama had answered a question from within the group with, "If he doesn't know, I don't suggest you tell him."


	21. Chapter Seventeen

Three things: 1) I know it's been a long while since I last updated and I apologize. 2) I know this chapter is kind of weird and possibly a bit confusing and I apologize. 3) The reason for a lack of updates was that I got caught up in a poem I was writing (it was actually a FanFiction too; you should check it out. It's called 'Lonesome Kisses'). 4) I do not own any characters. 5) This is the first chapter I have posted that I did not have the next (or more) chapter completely written. It's a sad day. 6) What that means for you guys: updates will probably coming more on a fortnightly basis rather than a weekly basis. Sorry. Now here is that chapter; sorry I left you dangling with that horrible cliff-hanger.

* * *

When Kiyoshi, Kasumi, Akiko, and Takeshi spun around, Kiyoshi came very close to dropping his communicator. Because he found himself facing, with very little room to maneuver, a menacing plant that had been transformed into a deadly weapon. Takeshi was in a similar predicament. Kasumi faced an orb of aura much more powerful than her own that had erupted suddenly, distorting the muted feel of aura in the room beforehand. They all froze.

Akiko, on the other hand, grinned slightly upon facing a sword pointed directly at her eyes. But as she made to push it away, the tip of the sword jumped with astonishing speed. Before Akiko could respond, it had returned to its original position, leaving bloody scratches all over her body. "Each of those marks represents a point that would have killed you, left you at the mercy of your adversary, or left you to bleed to death in minutes," the person she was facing admonished. The grin slid off her face to be replaced by a fiery glare.

Koenma's response was summed up in the two words he uttered: "Oh, god."

"Good to see you, Koenma. It's been awhile." Yusuke grinned at the device held loosely in Kiyoshi's hand.

"Yet, somehow, after that last disaster, it is far too soon." Kurama's words weren't loud, but both Yusuke and Koenma flinched backward at the obvious implication in them. Then Kurama asked Kiyoshi, "Can I borrow that a moment?"

Kiyoshi complied, his eyes wide as he handed Kurama the device in his hand. Kurama took it, looked at Koenma, and said, "Goodbye," before snapping it shut, ignoring Koenma's protests. He then turned to the teenagers in front of him and said, "Give me all your electronic devices. Now." His plants had receded a bit, allowing more room to move, and they quickly produced three phones, a digital camera, and three more communicators.

Kurama removed the batteries from the phones and the camera before handing them back. Then he picked up the communicators. What he did next made Hiei chuckle, while the team looked on in horror. One by one, he hurled them against the stone wall of the cave to shatter into countless pieces. When he had only one left he said calmly, "I will keep this one."

Hiei sheathed his sword, and Yusuke's finger dimmed before going out completely. "Come on, you guys." Yusuke said, "We need to talk to you. It'll be more comfortable back here."

"We?" Hiei questioned skeptically.

"Fine. Me and Kurama."

Kasumi and the others followed Yusuke, no longer sure if talking to these three—who obviously had no aversion to violence—was actually a good idea. They were sure they still _wanted_ to talk to them. And they were equally sure that running from these three hostile demons at this point would be incredibly and undeniably stupid. But that didn't mean doing whatever they asked _was_ a good idea.

Kasumi followed the two taller men, watching them, trying to figure out their position. Were they truly prepared to kill her team, or was that merely a show to intimidate Koenma? She had a bit more trouble observing the shortest, as he was walking behind everyone else.

She had deduced what she could about the three men but it didn't make her feel any more confident. All she could say with any certainty was who was who, but it was a small comfort. For she knew that the one who destroyed the communicators, the tall, silver-haired, fox-like creature, had to be Kurama. And that in itself was disturbing; she had always heard that, of the three, Kurama was the most level-headed. And that appeared to be true. It had shown in his complete calm in his confrontation with Koenma. But to Kasumi, that represented too easy an acceptance of the very violence she had hoped his sobriety could help avert.

Similarly, her hopes that her grandfather would be willing to work with them had been dashed. He, too, had threatened their lives. But when faced with that terrible, overwhelming power, her first reaction had not been fear, but awe. Such power was astounding perhaps, but the sense of looking into your own eyes, placed in someone else, stunned her. For she had his eyes and his intensity, and she knew that if she were to achieve the transformation, her eyes might look like that a century from now. And it filled her with wonder, the sense of looking into the eyes of her future in a body from her own ancestry, long before she was born. And, after all that, she was awed by the simple fact that very, very few people ever received the opportunity to meet a grandparent from eight generations before.

As for the last demon, the one who had put Akiko in a foul mood… even Kasumi could feel a threatening aura emanating from him. Even from that she would have surmised that this was Hiei. But something in the way he had spoken to Akiko was strange. It wasn't hateful and condescending and malicious, as she had always heard him described. He had been warning her not to make the same mistake again. Akiko wouldn't see it that way but it had seemed to Kasumi that, in his own way, the demon was trying to show the ice maiden that he cared.

Kasumi glanced back at Hiei to find him glaring daggers at her, as if he could hear her thoughts and didn't like what he was hearing. She found it unnerving to say the least.

"Hey you guys, watch this!" Yusuke called, jolting Kasumi out of her reverie. He then proceed to kick a blank stretch of wall in several places before placing a hand on the wall and releasing a small amount of aura into it. He glanced back at the four newcomers, completely at ease. "Tribute, if you will," he said as the wall split in two and formed a doorway.

"I still don't understand why you find it so fascinating," Kurama muttered.

"And I still don't understand why you installed the stupid thing in the first place," Hiei responded, "It's not fascinating; it's a pain in the butt."

Kurama grinned showing pointed teeth and, ignoring Hiei's last comment, said, "Most thieves suffer from paranoia. I am no exception. My case was nothing short of extreme." Hiei snorted and shook his head. Yusuke plopped down on one of the couches in the living space. Kurama then seemed to remember his purpose, "Sit down."

They did as they were asked, more because they were too afraid to disobey a direct order than because they actually wanted to sit down. Sitting down made them feel far too vulnerable. Kiyoshi's eyes were glued to Kurama, as Kasumi's were to Yusuke. And if looks could kill, Hiei would have dropped dead on the spot due to the intensity of Akiko's glare. But the three they faced didn't bat an eyelash. Kurama and Hiei sat down in chairs on the opposite side of the room from the team.

After a long moment of silence, Kurama finally spoke. "You four are impressive. Before you no one has gotten into one of my hideouts. Of course, you did have the advantage of knowing exactly where this one is, but that's beside the point. Now tell me, why have you come here?"

In the silence they all glanced at Kiyoshi. He sighed before answering. But by the time he spoke, he had overcome his shock and regained his normal, quiet confidence. "You seem to know more about me than anyone else. And I need to know the extent of my abilities as a copycat, where my power comes from, and how to control that power. Right now, I can't. And I end up hurting or almost hurting someone I'm close to."

Kurama looked at him thoughtfully, "We've been monitoring you, though. And you seem to have one of the most astounding amounts of control I've ever seen."

"Controlling the plants, maybe," Kiyoshi's answer was fiery with his emotion, "But not the aura I release when I get angry. It's like they listen to my subconscious whims rather than my conscious decisions…"

"I know what that's like," Kurama muttered under his breath. "And you?" He suddenly turned to Kasumi.

"I wish to learn from Yusuke." She answered.

Kurama nodded, "And you?"

"I'm not going to be left out of something this exciting," Takeshi responded as if it were obvious.

Kurama paused and Yusuke filled the silence as he shook his head, "Exactly like Kuwabara."

Finally Kurama faced Akiko, "And you? What is your purpose here?"

"My reasons are none of your concern."

In a matter of seconds, her limbs had been bound by plants invisible only moments before. Kurama hadn't lifted a finger. He now blinked across the room at her and laced his fingers together just below his chin and said, "I think you'll find that it _is_ my concern. This is my den; one of my favorites, in fact. That makes you a strange demon intruding in a fox's home. Strike one. Your actions as Koenma's employee may threaten my life, my freedom, or both. Strike two. Finally, that is the second time you've foolishly attempted to exert authority over your superiors, for we _are_ your superiors. Strike three. Is there any reason I shouldn't kill you now?" Once again that calm when discussing violence frightened Kasumi. And it seemed to make Akiko change her mind as well.

Swallowing her pride she said, "I need to speak with Hiei. My life may depend upon it."

"Your life may also depend on _not_ speaking to him, as doing so might kill you." Yusuke muttered. Kurama hit him on the back of the head.

Then Kurama said, "Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" His vines then released their hold on Akiko, leaving her to nurse her wounded pride.

* * *

Botan watched Koenma. She had learned long ago that when he was worried like this, there was nothing she could do to help him. So she generally just stood by and waited for him to tell her what to do. She heard him groan, "No. This is my worst-case scenario. Has this reached crisis level yet?" She heard a fist slam onto a desk and wondered how much more abuse the poor old piece of furniture could take. Then, "No. I could declare it as such but when Dad found out, there'd be hell to pay. And it would achieve nothing when going up against the wits and abilities of Kurama, Yusuke, and Hiei."

For what felt like the millionth time, Botan offered assistance she knew she couldn't give, "Is there anything I can do, sir?"

"No… someone destroyed two of the communicators. The trackers for Akiko and Kasumi disappeared. I can still follow Takeshi's and Kiyoshi's to within one kilometer of their position but that's not much help since Kurama obviously knows they're being tracked."

"Why'd he need to destroy them? Wouldn't turning them off have sufficed?" Botan asked.

"Well, even when they're off, they emit a single signal once every thirty six hours. All four of their devices were synchronized and I just received the signal from Kiyoshi's and Takeshi's. Kurama probably took that possibility into account and destroyed them. I just don't understand why he only obliterated to of them. And Kiyoshi's confuses me. I got his signal, but when I called him, I didn't hear the typical buzzing indicating it had been turned off. Just… nothing, like Akiko's and Kasumi's. Takeshi's buzzed. Botan, I can honestly say for the first time that I have absolutely no idea what is going on.

* * *

Having questioned them about their motives, Kurama crossed the room to a desk which, upon closer inspection, had intricate carvings portraying the great flood of Roman mythology. It was one of Kurama's favorite pieces; how desperately humans clung to the hope that there was something more. They didn't care if it was a wrathful god, so long as they didn't simply disappear. The mahogany desk was beautiful, and rich in details. It was back her because, as far as Kurama had been concerned, there was no one worthy of such a piece. And if no one was worthy, then he would be the one to use it. That had been his thought process several centuries before, at least. Now he used it for no reason other than the fact that he appreciated the craftsmanship.

He sat down and pried the back off of the last communicator. He found underworld technology fascinating. It was relatively simple in comparison to demon or even human technology. Yet somehow, it did a much better job at utilizing the surrounding energy. This device could be recharged solely on the aura a _non-gifted_ human emitted unintentionally. Amazing. But no time for that. "I'm taking the GPS out." Kurama told the boy who had approached silently to watch.

Kiyoshi nodded. "It's the black cube about three millimeters left of the power center." Kurama looked up, slightly surprised. In explanation Kiyoshi said, "After we killed Mizuko, while we waited for Akiko to wake up, I took mine out. I kept it with me, but thought it would be advantageous to be able to get rid of it at a moment's notice. With that, he dropped a small chip onto Kurama's desk and walked back to his teammates.

A small grin crossed Kurama's face. This boy was intelligent. And, better yet, he would undoubtedly be a thorn in Koenma's side because of it. But the strangest thing was the pain in the boy's voice when he spoke of killing Mizuko.


	22. Chapter Eighteen

I'm back, and it's only been a week (I think). The miracle in this is that I hadn't even started this chapter until after I posted the last one. Oh, and I have overcome my writer's block. I like this chapter. So, you know who I own. Thanks for your reviews. Now, go and be happy as you read this rather entertaining chapter, which shows the difference between the old team and the new one.

I would like to thank Amethystnight88, animegrlsteph, and Kurama no Miko2003 for their reviews!

On a completely different note, you should check out my story 'Lonesome Kisses.' It's a poem and it's really depressing, so if you want to read that you should probably read it and then this chapter. Thanks.

* * *

Kasumi jumped up, looking around herself. Then she heard Yusuke chuckling. "Nice reaction time," he told her. She glanced down and saw a small pebble before rubbing the place on her cheek had hit her. She unthinkingly stuck her tongue out at him, which only made him laugh harder. In response she flew at him, punched him repeatedly, but he didn't even flinch. She failed to even make him fall out of his seat. Noticing that, he laughed harder. And when she stopped punching him he continued laughing, the end result being that he fell out of his seat on his own. Gasping for breath he said, "This is exactly what happened when I met _my_ demon father. I couldn't knock him out of his chair either." Then he collapsed into another fit of laughter.

"Stop laughing!" Kasumi finally shouted.

He looked up at her with what she could only identify as respect. "Good. That shouting and you attacking me show me you're not afraid to go after what you want. Very nice. Your compliance yesterday was annoying. And just so you know, if you _hadn't_ attacked me, I would've refused to teach you. Fearing your own power and fearing harming someone are terrible… second only to simply being afraid. And as far as I'm concerned, morals don't matter. You'll use your power however you see fit. Which is good, since I'm exactly the same way. And the few morals you have you're not willing to sacrifice for anything insignificant. Good."

Kasumi stared at him dumbfounded for a few moments before looking around. Seeing only Takeshi still asleep, she asked, "Where are the others?"

"Kiyoshi and Kurama are out training the that godforsaken jungle. Hiei and Akiko are probably wreaking havoc on the closest village."

"What?!"

"Kurama gets up way too early. Hiei too. So Kurama woke Kiyoshi and Akiko up. Then he made a path to the outside world and essentially kicked them both out so they could figure out their problems."

"But what did you mean by 'wreaking havoc?'"

"Oh, that. Nothing more than when Hiei gets angry things tend to be… destroyed. The glare she was giving him said she is probably the same way. And it's obvious they don't get along." His voice was bored, suggesting he was far too used to Hiei not getting along with people for this conversation to be interesting.

"You said you'd train me. When and where?" Kasumi asked.

"We need to find Kurama or at least get his attention so he can let us out of here. This place does weird things to aura."

"What do you mean, _weird_?"

"Fire a shot, as powerful as possible, at that wall." Yusuke responded.

"Won't Kurama get mad?" Kasumi asked nervously.

"Only if it's destroyed. But don't worry, if it is, I'll take him." Yusuke grinned.

Kasumi tentatively powered up her finger. It didn't feel like full power though. Maybe she was just tired. But when she released it, it didn't turn the wall to dust. Instead, it was diffused and absorbed as if it had never existed. She stared at the wall, confounded. "What in the world…?"

Yusuke just laughed. "That's what I thought too. That's why Kurama chose this place; it naturally absorbs all aura. But because of that, we can't reach full aura capacity. When we got here Kurama had me fire an aura blast at it to test its limits; nothing." Yusuke got up and pointed to a small black mark on the wall, "That is all the damage this place suffered from Hiei's black dragon. Aura can run rampant in here but the moment it hits the floor, the ceiling, or a wall it is dissipated. No aura emanates from here. Particularly convenient if you're on the run from the prince of the underworld…" The last part seemed to be an afterthought, tacked on in a way that seemed too casual when discussing Yusuke's fugitive status.

Kasumi just laughed nervously, "Heh…"

* * *

"Nice. But stop holding back." Kurama instructed.

"I'm _not_." Kiyoshi grunted as the plants around him grew to enormous proportions in a futile attempt to stop Kurama's attacks. His attempts were in vain and it only took a few moment for him to be completely bound, exactly as Akiko had been the night before.

"Yes, you are." Kurama contradicted, "Both in this forest and in Mizuko's palace you had far more control and power. You may have been angry, but not even Yusuke's power ratchets up that much when he gets mad. Whether you are conscious of it or not, you are _not_ releasing your full aura potential."

"I'm trying as hard as I can." Kiyoshi muttered.

"Perhaps that is the problem. Perhaps you are trying too hard. When you somehow overwhelmed my plants, when you created that beautiful hybrid, were you trying or acting on instinct?" When Kiyoshi didn't respond, Kurama continued, "Instinct. No conscious decision can prepare you for battle, where you must move based on what you think, instinctively _know_, will happen." Seeing Kiyoshi still trying to catch his breath, Kurama added, "Let's take a break. You can tell me about the lovely plant on your arm."

They sat down and Kiyoshi began, "I didn't really think about what I was doing. I had two plants available to me. The one that would be useful was hard to control, a grass Akiko referred to as 'violet poison.' The other was a vine; it just felt… logical."

"And it became embedded in a wound. Why didn't you remove it?"

Kiyoshi showed Kurama his forearm. There was no scar. "It placed itself there; then it healed me. I don't wish to kill it. I don't know why. Akiko told me a verse to remember it, but all it says is that it will kill you if given the chance."

Kurama nodded his understanding. "Very few people know the rest of that verse. _Growing anywhere and of a violent shade, Do not touch lest in death you would be repaid, But if one would seek the truth they would come to know, That properly prepared it would instead health bestow_."

Kiyoshi looked up. "That would explain it."

"I'd imagine so. Although that preparation is difficult; I'll teach you sometime. Not that you need it. A healing plant embedded in your skin… the likes of _that_ I've never seen. I just can't believe I didn't think of it." Kurama sighed. "Talk about a huge advantage in battle."

Kiyoshi nodded, not quite sure if there was an appropriate response to that. Kurama continued, almost talking to himself, "And you probably control it as well or better than I control any of mine… Indeed, I should start experimenting." Suddenly his eyes snapped to Kiyoshi. "Then again, maybe I shouldn't. Heaven knows how well my last experiment is going."

Kiyoshi looked at him quizzically, unaware that he was the experiment Kurama spoke of.

* * *

Yusuke and Kasumi stood on the edge of the forest. "Couldn't we just fire a shot at it?" Kasumi asked, only half-joking.

Yusuke chuckled. "Now that _would_ piss Kurama off. And I don't particularly want to make him mad. I may be able to summon more aura than him, but that isn't much use when he is so much more intelligent. And when he's truly angry, he gets vicious. I really _don't_ want to deal with that." Suddenly his voice got much louder, "Hey, Kurama!"

Then there was a slight thud behind them and Kasumi spun around. Yusuke didn't, completely aware that Kiyoshi and Kurama had climbed through the branches above their heads. "You called?" Kurama asked.

"First, don't act like I can tell you what to do because that has never been the case and you pretending like it is is annoying. Second, let us out so we can train."

"No."

"Why not?"

"You just said you couldn't tell me what to do."

"Kurama…" Yusuke groaned, caught once again by one of Kurama's technicalities. "Then I'll have no choice." He then leveled his finger at the forest in front of him.

"You wouldn't." Kurama chuckled and slowly a path cleared to the outside world. Then Yusuke said, "Thanks."

A while later they stepped into the bright sunlight. "Fire up your reigun." Kasumi did as directed and was happy to find her aura was no longer hindered by the strange cavern. "Now fire it at me."

"What?" Kasumi didn't know what to say. Fire a potentially deadly shot at her teacher? "It could kill—"

Yusuke cut her off. "You're thinking in human terms in regard to strength. I fired a shot at my father _after_ my transformation and all it did was knock him out of his seat. Now fire your most powerful shot at me. Do not hold back." He looked serious, a rarity. So Kasumi pulled the trigger and closed her eyes. When she heard the collision she opened them again. He still stood before her, no different than before.

"Impossible." She muttered.

"My aura too vastly exceeds yours for that to cause any harm. Although I haven't felt a punch like that since I told Keiko I had to leave because of Kuwabara's death…" Kasumi saw his eyes soften and saw a different side of Yusuke. The side he rarely allowed out, that allowed him to show the pain he still felt at the deaths of his friend and only love. Suddenly the nostalgia wore off and he said, "This is why you have a long way to go before your body could undergo the transformation." Now he fired up his aura and the true force of it knocked her a few steps backward. She could see that, in the cave, his aura had been restrained by himself as well as the room itself. It blew her mind. "I have four shots of this power each day," he explained, "Although each of those can be divided up into sufficiently forceful aura bursts of lesser power to make it go farther." He fired the shot and watched it until long after it was visible to Kasumi.

* * *

Hiei was bored. And angry. This demon didn't know her place. But she was about to learn. But before he could summon flames of any kind, she spoke. And what she said was probably the only thing that could've made Hiei stop in his tracks as he did then.

"I know about the strange circumstances of your birth. I also know they are even stranger than they appear, stranger than you would have people believe."

He stopped, raising his eyebrows. "Make your point."

"Instead of taking on the characteristics of only your father, you were somehow endowed with your mother's traits as well. And I think Yukina actually had a father."

"Why do you think that?"

"There is sufficient evidence to suggest that I have at least a small amount of fire in me. But I have no way to control it."

"Why should I care?" Hiei responded, ignoring the fact that this girl was the first to ever guess that, while he could control fire beyond all imagination, he could also control its opposite to an extent. Fire and ice… He had never devoted himself to improving his abilities with ice. Fire was more intimidating. Compared to fire… well, ice just seemed a bit _tame_.

"Because your sister is my grandmother. Because that makes you my great-uncle. Because one of these days I'm going to get angry and hurt myself." She paused. "God forbid my grandmother Yukina be with me when that happens."

Hiei's face lost any expression it had previously held. This girl knew just which buttons to push. "You would not dare harm my sister."

Akiko looked at him in silence for a moment then said, "Not on purpose."

Hiei's eyes widened slightly in understanding. She couldn't control the fire, so what happened with the fire when she got angry was not entirely up to her. And that made him angry. Why did she come to him? He wanted nothing to do with teaching anyone anything. And he wanted even less to be caught up in something involving Koenma and his old life. He remained convinced that his leaving Yukina and all that behind him was what was best for her. "Watch and learn." He said.

So quickly her eyes could barely follow, much less have time to comprehend and memorize the moves he then demonstrated. Not that she would have been capable of imitating them anyway, as they were far beyond the basics. Hiei, however, flowed from one move to the next as if they were nothing, second nature almost, finally ending with a blazing sword integrated with aura just far enough from Akiko's throat that it didn't burn her skin but still singed her hair. "Your turn."

Akiko glared, understanding the game Hiei was playing. He was forcing her to admit something she would never admit to under any other circumstances. "I can't."

Hiei smirked.

Then he tackled Akiko. They hit the ground hard, only a fraction of a second before an aura blast tore over their heads. Hiei was on his feet almost immediately, fuming. "That idiot," he muttered.

Akiko was also mad. Mad that he refused to teach her. Mad that he had made fun of her. Mad he had knocked her to the ground and not apologized, never mind the fact that he had probably just saved her life. And suddenly sparks flew. Hiei simply watched as he was hit by fistful after fistful of fire. His shirt burned away but he didn't blink as his fire absorbed hers.

Suddenly, something nicked his arm. Cold, freezing, deadly. He had been hit by something other than fire. Dripping blood, shimmering heat waves formed around Hiei as the fire in him created a shield of our heated to several thousand degrees. The fire passed through but was unable to harm him. The ice, over which he had only a limited control, melted.

After a while, Akiko stopped, seeing her attempts to kill Hiei were fruitless. "Nice. Good integration of opposing elements; I like it. And it's been years since someone other than Kurama ore Yusuke wounded me in something other than close combat." He held up his arm, showing the slight cut. "As for control, you controlled it well, you just can't seem to control _when_ you release it. We'll have to work on that."

Akiko hardly registered that she had just been on the receiving end of an incredibly rare phenomenon—three times in a row. Hiei had given her a compliment. Three times. She, however, was too busy with the fact he had agreed to train her. Little did she know, the only reason for that was that Hiei had suddenly seen the advantage of having ice in his fighting. Great surprise technique. And he felt watching her was the best way to improve his own ice and integrate it into his fighting.

* * *

For no apparent reason, Takeshi woke up. Looking around himself and seeing no one, he called out, "Where'd everybody go?"


	23. Chapter Nineteen

I have returned. I have decided that, because I am lazy, it will be easier to answer reviews in the chapter. Sorry if you like it the other way, but I really feel like I should reply to my reviewers, but I'm also, as I stated before, very lazy. I only own those four characters, even though they're asleep for all of this chapter… whatever.

Kurama no Miko2003: Yes, poor Takeshi. He'll get in on the training soon. I'm glad you are looking forward to the stuff between Hiei and Akiko; I had fun writing it and I like it, but I wasn't sure how my readers would respond.

Silver Spirit Fox: Glad you think I'm a good writer! It's always good to hear that. As for Death Note… I love that series. So much of the conflict happens only in their heads. And I did find my flash drive, thanks for asking.

animegrlsteph: I'm glad you liked it. But might I point out that it takes almost nothing to make you laugh? Jk.

This chapter focuses more on the past, sorry if you were looking forward to more training. But this chapter is important to the storyline. _Italics_ are flashbacks. And, just as a warning, the flashback does get a bit… graphic. Not terrible, but worse than anything in this story thus far.

* * *

Koenma was almost running in circles, searching for the files on the blueprints of the communicators. Takeshi's and Kiyoshi's signals had just disappeared. Then, all of a sudden, a beeping noise filled the room. Rushing to his computer, he saw he was receiving a call from… Takeshi. Thanks god.

When he answered, however, it wasn't the boy. He found himself staring into cold golden eyes set in a pale face surrounded by silver hair. "Koenma." The man before him said.

"Kurama! Where are they?!" Koenma's voice was slightly panicked but he didn't care.

Kurama chuckled darkly at Koenma's tone. "Why would we harm them? They did nothing to harm us."

"But they are working for me. And you three have had some inexplicable issue with me for the past hundred and fifty _years_."

"Inexplicable? I think not." Kurama's eyes glinted with something akin to both hate and guilt.

Koenma paused, unsure of what to say. Then he burst out, "You will be the death of me, I swear! What are you _talking_ about?"

"Does it really matter? All that matters now is that your team is here. Three of the communicators and all of the trackers have been destroyed. We will probably leave soon. And if you hadn't figured this out, those letters were to show that, while you may held some sway over portions of the demon plane and your agents can survive here, you will never truly control this realm. And if that's the best your special forces team can do to disguise their true auras, your training facilities are far below the standards of those here in Makai."

Koenma bristled at the insult, although the only reason it hit is mark was because of the truth he felt in Kurama's words. It had been Koenma himself who had allowed that standard to fall when Kurama, Hiei, and Yusuke had vanished. "Why are you doing this? Would you really kill innocent children?"

Kurama blinked once, thinking over the question. He then said the words he knew would get to Koenma the most. "I would not. They are innocent until they attempt to kill me or bring me in. Then I shall have no qualms, for it was their own decision. Additionally, none of them is a child. Kasumi and Takeshi have long lived in a world where it is survival of the fittest. They have seen that if you don't fight, you will survive but you won't flourish. Akiko grew up in Makai, where childhood often disappears before it begins. Kiyoshi… in fifteen years that boy has endured more pain silently than you have in centuries. He has yet to tell me what it is but I can see that it's eating away at him."

Koenma thought back a moment to what he had learned of Kiyoshi's past. Then Kurama's next words reached his ears. "It's eating away at him more than what you did is eating at you. Because, if they are killed, Koenma, it will be you, not us, who caused their deaths." The golden eyes glared one second longer and then Takeshi's communicator snapped shut.

Koenma sat at his desk for two hours, staring at a blank screen and attempting to process Kurama's words. All that registered was three words: _they blame me_.

Over and over it repeated itself. They blame me. They blame me. They blame me. They blame me. They blame me. They blame me. They blame me. They blame me. They blame me. _They blame me_.

After two hours he realized something else. Kurama had changed. His demeanor was now closer to that of the fox demon before his time as Shuichi Minamino than it had ever been while he was working for Koenma. Had Kuwabara's death, Koenma flinched thinking the word, truly affected him that badly? Thinking on those golden eyes and cold expression, Koenma could immediately see that the answer was yes. Kuwabara's death had torn Kurama apart.

But what of the other two? Hiei hadn't cared for Kuwabara, but he had hated Koenma anyway, so that was probably his reason for leaving. Hiei hadn't really needed an excuse. Yusuke appeared slightly unhappy with Koenma. His greeting the day before had lacked the spirit Koenma had come to expect from the ex-spirit detective, even with that grin. Unhappy, perhaps, but not angry, exactly. Neither did he seem to have any desire to come back. Either he was content or there was something holding him back. Kuwabara's death…?

Suddenly it struck Koenma. Yusuke and Kuwabara had only been friends in a loose interpretation of the word. They had always been rivals first and friends second. And, of the two, Yusuke always came out on top in a fight. When he died (flinch), Kuwabara's only regrets had been that he hadn't gotten to say goodbye to Yukina and that he never beat Yusuke in a fair fight.

Kurama on the other hand… Kurama had genuinely considered Kuwabara a friend. And, on top of that, Kurama had been Kuwabara's mentor. In one person's death (flinch), Kurama had lost a friend and student. And a century and a half later, he still hadn't truly recovered.

The toddler's forehead sank lower and lower before finally hitting the desk. _They blame me_.

* * *

Kurama looked out over his den. The golden eyes lingered briefly on each of the other six people in the room. They were all asleep or, in Hiei's case, pretending to be asleep. His eyes rested longest on the boy name Takeshi. Shizuru's descendent.

"Dammit, Koenma!" Kurama muttered under his breath, turning away from the others and putting his head in his hands, "Damn it all. Why the hell would you do something like this? Did the last time have no effect on you? Did you learn nothing? He's just a boy, for god's sake! Ten years younger than… Dammit, do you want _that_ to happen _again_?!"

Then, without any warning, all the angry fire in Kurama's eyes disappeared. It was replaced by a blankness devoid of hope. And tears dripped from their corners as the memories he had been unsuccessfully trying to repress for fifteen decades came flooding into his mind.

_Botan appeared, cheerful as ever. "It's not a huge deal, but Koenma wants you to go after this demon. We're not sure how strong he is, so we advise you all go together. Now that Yusuke's enlightened us about the ways for demons above class B to get through the force field, we can never be sure…"_

_She trailed off, unsure of what to say next. Yusuke then said, "Sure thing, Botan. Soon as I finish this movie."_

"_You would risk humanity… for a movie?!"_

_Yusuke thought a moment. "Ummm… yeah."_

_Kurama chuckled. "Aren't we exaggerating a bit, Botan? This demon isn't a serious threat or you'd be panicking right now. And Yusuke, it's a DVD; we can finish it when we get back."_

_Yusuke sighed and jumped up, "Come on then, let's go."_

_They found him quick enough but, just as quickly, he escaped through what had to be the luckiest distortion between Makai and the human world ever. They followed him through and, by that point, he had heckled Kuwabara enough that he was irrational and cut through the force field. Seeing no alternative, the other three followed._

_Out of nowhere, a couple dozen A-class demons attacked. Yusuke, Hiei, and Kurama all took the offensive. But three people cannot keep track of twenty-four, no matter how talented the three are. One of the enemies saw their weak point. Before they could do anything, it was over. He saw what had been done, and he lost all constraint._

_Up until that point he had been restraining his aura to an extent, still pretending to be Shuichi Minamino—an ace up his sleeve, that extra power. But seeing what had been done made him forget all that. The fox demon had emerged. And its wrath now trumped almost every other time it had ever been angry._

_Yusuke and Hiei continued fighting but together they did only as much as Kurama did alone. When they stopped, every one of the demons was dead. Kurama stood a few feet away from Hiei and Yusuke. He stood completely motionless, the only movement his hair in the cool breeze. His long, sharp, claw-like nails were dripping in blood. Surrounding him were several demons whose hearts had been torn out. By a nearby man-eating plant or by Kurama himself, it was impossible to tell. The ground around Kurama was muddy from excess blood. His cream-colored clothing was spattered with the deep red gore and his hair and face were flecked with carnage. But he hardly seemed to notice it. His voice cracked as he spoke, "I couldn't stop them. I couldn't stop one friend's death. I was right here and I couldn't save him!"_

_Yusuke took a half-hearted step towards Kurama, just as Kurama fell down next to Kuwabara. The young man's body had been mutilated almost beyond recognition. Deep wounds covered his face and arms where he had turned around to try and defend himself. There were two deep slashes through his chest and one through his back. Blank eyes stared skyward from the place he lay in a pool of his own blood._

_Yusuke could feel Kurama's grief. It was so great he knew there was nothing he or Hiei could do. So he stepped forward and winced as he closed the empty eyes. He pulled Kurama to his feet. He then winced again as he picked up Kuwabara's limp form and Hiei led an indifferent, listless Kurama._

_Explaining to Shizuru what had happened was fairly easy. She already knew. She looked forlornly at the shredded body that was her younger brother. She sighed and said, "The idiot finally got himself killed. It was bound to happen someday. At least he died fighting; it's the way he would've wanted to die. I only wish it hadn't come this soon." She then turned to look at them and said, "Thanks for bringing him here. It means a lot. Take care, wherever it is you're going."_

_How Shizuru had known about what they all silently planned on doing, Kurama wasn't sure. Neither did he really care. Everything beyond that was a blur._

_He, Yusuke, and Hiei had attended to some last minute business, all together. He remembered waiting outside and listening as Hiei told Yukina the truth. He remembered his vague surprise that Yukina had already known but had been waiting for Hiei to tell her._

_He remembered the sound of the slap that sent Yusuke reeling across the room when he told Keiko he was leaving. And the cursing. And Yusuke's apology. His promise to visit and the glistening eyes that suggested leaving Keiko again was the hardest thing he ever had to do._

_And Kurama remembered those torturous ten minutes when his stunned brain was attempting to tell Shiori the truth gently. He saw her shock when he let his false identity fade away. And her sad acceptance of what he was saying._

_But he remembered everything after Shizuru like it was a movie, as if it had happened to someone other than himself._

"How could you do this, Koenma? No human stands a chance against an A-class demon. Yet you would send three of them with the help of a single B-class demon into Makai unaided? And not send anyone after them when they were facing three potentially violent _S-class_ demons? Then again, I suppose part of that was my fault." Kurama sighed, "Damn it, why'd you hire them in the first place?"

Kurama continued his quiet ranting, "You sent us into that mess. But you didn't learn anything from that mistake. You didn't have to feel that aura suddenly vanish when it shouldn't have. You didn't have to see his body. You didn't have to see the blankness in his eyes. You didn't see the blood, blood everywhere, on everything…"

Then came a voice from across the room. Everyone else had slept through Kurama's rant but Hiei had heard every word. "It wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known what would happen. You did all you could."

The only reason these words helped was because they came from Hiei. He had no problem with lying but he would never go to the trouble of lying just to make someone else feel better. Anyone else, Kurama would suspect of lying to make him feel batter. "Thanks, Hiei."

But Hiei was already asleep and soon after Kurama followed suit.


	24. Chapter Twenty

I am back at last. What's it been, what, two and a half, three weeks? I admit it, I fail. I was super stuck, and teachers enjoy giving huge amounts of homework just before finals. Not only was I stuck, but I had no time to just sit and force myself to write until I was unstuck. Well, enough of that. I only own Kasumi, Kiyoshi, Takeshi, and Akiko. Well, the special forces team too, but they're not important yet, nor are they individual characters. And look! It's the twentieth actual chapter! Hurrah!

Things may not be too clear at the end of this chapter, and I apologize for that. They will, however, be explained in the next chapter (which I have already started!).

Now for reviews. Thanks you guys!

animegrlsteph: yes, very sad. But necessary. That chapter was very hard to write. I almost started crying several times. :P

Kuramasredrose: that's pretty much how I feel too.

* * *

Kurama had awakened everyone early. "Since Koenma knows our location, I think we should leave today. Training can be continued as we travel."

Yusuke pulled himself to his feet, looked around, and said, "I'm gonna miss this place."

"We spend days trying to get in here just so we can leave? That's just delightful," Kasumi grumbled, unhappy to be awake.

Yusuke just laughed. "Get used to it. We've been moving around like this for a hundred and fifty years."

"Doesn't that get tiresome?" Kiyoshi asked.

"Not really. Much as I can tell, the restlessness in me increased tenfold when I became demon," Yusuke said, shaking Takeshi, who was still asleep. "You ever felt that way? So energized that the only way to calm yourself is to pick a fight?" Takeshi remained unresponsive but Kiyoshi nodded. "Well, moving from place to place helps dissipate some of that tension."

"Only because you pick a fight with every demon we meet," Hiei muttered.

Yusuke ignored him, "Wake up!"

Suddenly Takeshi's eyes snapped open and the look on his face left Yusuke and Kasumi laughing, Kiyoshi snickering, and Kurama smiling. Yusuke noticed the last. "That's the first time you've really smiled in God knows how long," he said, "I think these kids are good for you." Hiei nodded once and Kurama looked away, avoiding eye contact.

* * *

Once they were outside, the mood lightened a bit. "No training if you can't keep up with me!" Yusuke called to the group. As Takeshi and Kasumi prepared to run, Kiyoshi and Akiko simply watched. Suddenly Yusuke took off. Seeing his speed, Takeshi gave up. Kasumi however made to follow him, only to be stopped by Kurama's hand on her shoulder.

"The only one of us who could keep up with him is Hiei; I don't suggest you try. You'll end up separated from us in the demon plane. Never a good idea," Kurama advised.

"But he wasn't going that fast; I might've been able to keep up if he didn't have such a head start!" she protested.

Kurama looked at her a moment. "He was hardly jogging just now, Kasumi. He's just screwing around. We don't go out often enough because it's easier to avoid Koenma if we keep a low profile. Which just isn't possible with three S-class demons traveling together. Particularly when those three demons are us. Forgive him. He's got a lot of pent up energy. You chase him and he'll start running for real."

Only one word seemed to have registered with the youths in front of him. "That's _jogging_?" Kasumi asked in disbelief.

"Yep. Yusuke, get back here!" Kurama called. In a matter of seconds Yusuke had returned. "Thanks for the demonstration, Yusuke," Kurama said, "That, Kasumi, was _almost_ full speed." Her jaw dropped.

* * *

At about noon they all stopped. Kurama and Yusuke were a bit displeased with how far they had come. As for Hiei and Akiko, they were frustrated that they couldn't move faster. The entire group had to travel at Takeshi's pace. Not that Takeshi noticed they were all holding back to some degree for his benefit.

But by mutual consent of Hiei, Yusuke, and Kurama, they stopped to begin training.

* * *

"What to do, what to do…?" Koenma muttered to himself. He paced back and forth. It was of the greatest necessity that he find those four teenagers. If he didn't… if they simply disappeared as Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei disappeared… he didn't think he could take it.

He hit the wall with the side of his fist. Nothing he did made any difference. If he chose to do nothing, they might vanish. If he sent a special ops team after them, Kurama might make good his threats. If he went after them himself… well, he could only realistically hope to keep one of those three at bay at any given time.

After several minutes with his head bent down and his arm stretched out, fist against the wall, his keyboard in rapid succession. A moment later his special forces team appeared in the doorway. "You needed us, Master Koenma?" the captain asked.

"Yes…" Koenma muttered, mostly to himself. "I have an assignment for you. First thing you need to know is that you all have no more than an even chance of making it out of this mission alive, probably less. If you're not prepared to risk it, I suggest you resign now."

"Master Koenma…"

"My new team has disappeared into the demon plane. I have their last known coordinates. I would like you to bring them back."

"No disrespect, sir, but how will our lives be endangered by four teenagers?"

Koenma sighed. "One of them is a demon. Another is a throwback although she hasn't transformed. A third is human. The last is what's known as a copycat. A human controlling A-class levels or higher of demonic power, while still being human themselves."

Nine sets of wide eyes stared back in horror. But then his next words made everything worse. "But they aren't the real problem. You could handle them." The long pause after these words seemed as if it would never end.

Finally the captain broke it, "Sir…?"

"You guys are equipped to handle up to two A-class demons. What you've not been told is that there are demons out there above A-class. And those S-class demons… they could easily kill multiple A-class demons single-handedly. My team is accompanied by three of them."

"And you would send us in?!" the captain protested.

"Only if you choose to go, knowing the risks. And only because those demons are Yusuke, Hiei, and Kurama."

Now, since the time Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei had disappeared, every member of the special forces team had resigned, retired, or been promoted. None of these members had had any contact with the ex-detective or his friends. So they didn't know just how violent they could get when provoked. They did recognize the names, however. Those three were somewhat infamous in Reikai, as the cause of Koenma's constant state of worry. Which now seemed to have grown exponentially. And, again, it was their fault. But other than rather sketchy backgrounds and the stress they caused Koenma, they weren't bad people. At least not the way Botan made them out.

But the fact that they had never met the demons they would be up against, only heard the stories, led to a lack of discretion. Every single member of the team chose to go after the fugitives.

The captain saluted Koenma and they left, leaving him feeling as if he had just made a huge mistake.

* * *

"Nice footwork. But your posture could use some improvement," Kurama told Takeshi. Takeshi nodded, adjusted his upper body as fox demon had indicated, then continued working through some basic stances. "Much better."

Kurama had become frustrated. He had still failed to bring out Kiyoshi's true power. It had become obvious the boy _wasn't_ holding back. He currently _wasn't capable_ of summoning that amount of aura. But why? Kurama reached a decision. Now was the time to provoke him. Force it out by any means necessary.

While Kiyoshi _had_ improved (he had successfully halted Kurama's attack for a full one and a half seconds), it wasn't enough to help in a fight. "Let's stop for a moment," Kurama said, "And you can tell me what happened to you to make you bear so much pain."

The boy's eyes remained blank, but his voice was icy. "Unless it's relevant, I'd rather not talk about it."

"Not relevant, but I'd like to know. We can figure out the best way to hide what is apparently your only weakness," Kurama replied coolly.

"I think I'll take my chances." This silver-haired fox demon was beginning to tick him off.

Kurama had known this would be his response. He kept his face blank as he began with what would have been the most likely thing to provoke him, years ago, when she was still alive. "Okay, I am no longer asking. Now I am telling. All weaknesses must be erased, or bad things can and will happen. A demon could kill your mother. Me, perhaps." He hated being this cruel, but it was necessary. So he let the threat hang in the air where storm clouds were brewing over Kiyoshi's head. Little did he know he had hit both nails on the head. Kiyoshi's past and the key to his power, tied together in one little package. And he had just ripped it wide open.

But what happened next was definitely _not_ what Kurama would have predicted.

* * *

Kasumi had reached the point where she could use rapid fire without hurting herself. This wasn't a testament to Yusuke's teaching skills so much as it was a reminder that Kasumi had been training for most of her life. Yusuke's heckling had only pushed her enough that she had surpassed her limits and reached a height that had previously eluded her.

He was excitedly telling her about some tournament he had fought in he had fought in when he was still working for Koenma when he suddenly stopped short. "Wait here," he commanded. He then ran off at an incredible speed in the direction she was pretty sure Hiei and Akiko were training in.

* * *

Akiko could now consciously summon small amounts of flame to her palms for short amounts of time, although it took a tremendous effort. Surprisingly, Hiei was happier with how far she'd come than she was. He knew how difficult it was to master fire; it had a life of its own that you had to overcome before you could even hope to do anything with it. And this girl was more ice than fire and she had only been attempting this for a couple of hours. Not that he'd ever tell her he was impressed. Quite the contrary.

"Is that all the better you can do?" he asked her, covering his face in the look of contempt that he had perfected long ago.

She glared. "You try working with ice for three hours straight and tell me how you like it," she snapped.

"Unlike yourself, I _can_ control both sides of my nature, even if I don't choose to do so," Hiei snapped back. She didn't need to know that his control of ice was limited; that was irrelevant. And his control of ice was still better than her control of fire.

"Prove it."

Before he could respond, he was hit by the force of a powerful demonic aura that Hiei immediately associated with Kurama.

Only seconds later Yusuke appeared. "Am I the only one who feels that?" he asked. Hiei and Akiko both shook their heads. Then Yusuke asked, "Why would Kurama need to release that much aura?"

Then they were hit by a second wave of aura, the same strength as the first. It was only very slightly different than the first, but also somehow slightly more familiar to Yusuke and Hiei. But the two auras were almost identical in every way. "If that's Kurama, then the first was…" Yusuke trailed off. "Oh, god. That's insane. I definitely wasn't expecting that one." All Hiei could do was nod.


	25. Chapter Twenty One

I officially don't have a life. But that's okay; that means you guys get a quicker update! Yay! Now, I'm posting this in advance because finals start this week! (yay or nay?) So, once finals start, I won't have time to update. As usual, I only own those four and the (rather stupid) special ops team. Apologies that this chapter switches locations so often. And I finally have proof that it is not I who writes these stories but some random being inside my head. I only write them down. But there is at least one sentence in this chapter that I do _not_ remember writing.

Thanks to those of you who reviewed! You're my favorites!

Bhel-Elryss: Indeed. All I can say is, at least he gave them the choice. As for the whole Kiyoshi-Kurama side of things, this chapter is very… enlightening.

animegrlsteph: well… are you going to make me die by never putting a comma or a period in your review? You know I love you, right? Y estoy un poco mejor porque come un English Muffin. (Like my Spanglish?) Anyway, it should be obvious I didn't intend for you to die, as this update is coming so quickly and there is another cliffhanger at the end. YAY, cliffhangers!

Kuramasredrose: Yes he does. Glad you like it so much!

Now, onward (_Christian soldiers, marching as to war/With the cross of Jesus going on before_). Oh, sorry. That's what my sister says every time I say onward.

* * *

Yusuke and Hiei just stared at one another for about half a second. Then they both took off in the same direction, leaving Akiko attempting to block her eyes from the dust they kicked up.

They were both running full speed toward the place they knew Kurama had been training Takeshi and Kiyoshi. Because two S-class auras in that direction was not something they could have explained.

* * *

Kasumi and Akiko were both alone. Each of them had felt a blast of aura, followed by a second of equal strength. Both Akiko and Kasumi had lost their teachers when they had gone to investigate. Upon feeling the second aura, Kasumi had begun running toward it, despite Yusuke's orders.

Because what they realized now that they somehow hadn't before was that the first aura was Kiyoshi's. And it was _demonic_. Now that they thought about it, however, this had happened before. In Mizuko's castle and again in Kurama's obstacle course. But both times they had been too stunned by his actions, as well as the sheer amount of power, to really register what kind of power it was.

Now they were left wondering what the hell was going on.

* * *

A half-day's travel away, nine people had surrounded what seemed to be an impenetrable forest. When they felt the auras of Kiyoshi and Kurama, they all turned to their captain. The amount of aura they were sensing was not astonishing in itself, at least not after what they'd learned of class S demons. What astonished them was that it could be _that_ powerful at _this_ distance.

Their captain paled visibly, braced himself, and said, "I'd bet anything that the ones we are after are the source of that. Let's go."

* * *

Takeshi had dropped his aura sword when Kiyoshi's aura had hit him. Kiyoshi was never a fun person to be around when he snapped like this. Takeshi's sole consolation was that the anger wasn't directed at _him_ this time. Because experiencing that anger firsthand was the very opposite of fun, and Takeshi didn't envy Kurama one bit.

The demon in question had merely raised his eyebrows in surprise and said to Takeshi, "I suggest you run as far as you can as fast as you can. I have no idea how this will turn out." But the sudden increase in Kurama's aura left a stunned Takeshi unable to move. He could do nothing but watch as Kurama stared Kiyoshi down.

The older demon—_was_ Kiyoshi actually a demon?—seemed almost unnaturally calm. "Kiyoshi, calm yourself," he said, "I meant nothing by my comment. I could never kill someone specifically for the reason that they were my enemy's mother. Not anymore. I simply needed to say something to make you mad. To set this off. Now I have. I swear, I will never hurt your mother." His words were reassuring and Takeshi watched as Kiyoshi froze. His aura then seemed to draw back inside himself, finally reduced to being masked by his purely human energy. He stood completely still for a moment then He stood still for a moment, then turned and walked away without a single word.

Suddenly Yusuke and Hiei appeared, only soon enough to see Kiyoshi's back retreating into the forest. "What just happened?" Yusuke asked after a few minutes.

Kurama reigned in his aura, masking its true extent. "I honestly have no idea. But I especially can't figure out what made him walk away."

"What did you _say_ to him?" Kasumi asked, arriving to hear that Kiyoshi had walked away.

Kurama looked at her, suddenly aware that, for his own reasons, Kiyoshi had opened up to her more than anyone else. At least, anyone else currently present. "To make him mad or to make him calm?" he asked her.

"Both!" Her voice was sharp, but Kurama could tell it was because she was worried about her friend.

"I was attempting to get to the root of his pain and the root of his power. The thing that set him off was me threatening to kill his mother. Because that was my weakness, that's where I started." He stopped to listen to Kasumi for a moment.

"No," she moaned, "Worst. Idea. Ever." Realizing Kurama had stopped, she waved her hand, signaling him to continue.

He did, slightly unnerved by her reaction. "To calm him all I really did was tell him I'd only said it to get a rise out of him and I swore I wouldn't hurt his mother."

"You didn't. _Please_ tell me this is some twisted joke you and Kiyoshi concocted and you don't know the whole story. Please, please, _please_ tell me he didn't walk away because you said you wouldn't hurt his mother."

"I'm not lying to you, Kasumi, nor am I playing games." The look of pure horror on Kasumi's face when he said this made Kurama even more nervous. "What is it, Kasumi? What did I say?" he demanded.

She bit her lip, unsure if she should tell him. After a few tense moments, she reached her decision. She looked Kurama in the eyes as if accusing him of some unknown crime and said, "His pain is rooted in the fact that, when he was little, he lost control of his plants and killed his mother in an attempt to ward off a demon that was attacking him. Are you happy now? You have successfully discovered the reason for his pain and drawn out his power."

The truth and anger in her words and eyes made Kurama's eyes widen as he realized the possible impact of what he had done.

"We need to find him," Yusuke said, "We can't let him just wander around alone. Not in Makai."

"We can." It was Hiei who contradicted him. "If his life is truly in danger, that demonic aura will kick in. And that aura will save him if it becomes necessary. It is on par with Kurama's. And, emotionally, he's unstable right now. This human girl is the only one who won't set him off. And even she might, but she'd be no match for him."

As Hiei's reasoning sunk in, Kasumi nodded. With that, Hiei disappeared to find Akiko and the others slowly started back towards their camp.

* * *

A bit past midnight, Kurama, Hiei, and Yusuke stood alone around a fire still alight only by Hiei's encouragement. Kiyoshi had not returned and the others had fallen asleep. In Kasumi's case, it was a fitful, restless sleep, but she was oblivious to their conversation nonetheless.

Staring into the flames Kurama asked, "What could be the explanation for this? He's supposed to have retained his humanity."

Yusuke's answer was slow, and carefully worded for once. "He _is_ human. His aura was human when he left that clearing. But I have no explanation for it."

"Didn't you feel it when he overcame your plants?" Hiei asked suddenly.

"No. I was too preoccupied with the fact that they had given control over to him to give much thought to the kind of aura they had given control to," Kurama muttered.

"His aura was almost identical to yours, you know," Yusuke said. "The strength, too. As if you were facing off with yourself."

"Facing off with… Could that even be possible?" Kurama seemed to have been struck by an idea. "Is it at all conceivable that I _was_ facing off against myself?" The looks he received told him quite clearly they wondered if he'd gone insane.

"No, think about it. Those demonic genetics are an _exact copy of mine_. As far as I know, no one's ever discovered where aura is produced. What if it's in the DNA? Those replicas could conceivable mimic mine, no matter the distance. That would explain the aura type as well as output." Kurama paced back and forth, talking with his hands. "Also, since he is human, they would only manifest in times of dire need. Or anger. And since it is essentially my aura, my plants could have temporarily confused _him_ with _me_. It all makes sense!"

Yusuke and Hiei didn't respond for several moments, although neither could see any weak points in Kurama's theory.

Then this epiphany began to truly sink in and Yusuke opened his mouth to respond. But Kurama and Hiei never found out what he was going to say, because nine people suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

None of them was Kiyoshi.


	26. Chapter Twenty Two

Hey, y'all I'm back, much sooner than expected. YAY! I own no one new this chapter.

Thanks to the several people who added this to their favorites/story alerts since the last time I updated. Now, on to the reviews!

Bhel-Elryss: Yes, the coppers. And I would have worried about Kiyoshi, too, except I knew what was going to happen. Well, at least I didn't leave you guys hanging until after New Year's, which is what I thought was going to happen!

animegrlsteph: I use cliffys just to annoy you. Jk. They are fun to write.

Kuramasredrose: You know, I'm not really sure where Kiyoshi went. Where he is/was isn't as important as what he's thinking/what's happening while he's away.

Thank you all for your reviews and Happy Christmas! As for the ending, I decided to indulge the sentiments I was getting from Kasumi. :) Happy readings!

* * *

A moment after being surrounded, Yusuke looked at Hiei and Kurama. "Really? Koenma's waaay more desperate to get them back than I thought, if he's resorted to this."

"No doubt," Kurama said. He then addressed the group around them, "Do you really want to fight us? I am giving you this one chance to leave." They hesitated, torn between a sense of duty and wanting to do the smart thing. "I suggest you answer quickly. I'm not in the best mood right now."

"How about we each demonstrate why they should leave?" Yusuke asked. Hiei immediately disappeared from his side. "Can you really tell where he is?"

"There!"

"No, there!"

"By Kurama!"

"No, Yusuke!"

"Watch your backs," Hiei muttered from behind them, having two of the team members at sword-point. He sheathed his swords and returned to his place next to Kurama and Yusuke. To Yusuke he said, "I'd go with the aura field; it doesn't waste the energy."

Yusuke nodded, grinned, and placed his palms together, fingers pointing toward the ground. Gradually at first then more quickly, Yusuke's aura expanded, finally stabilizing at a level far above anything they'd ever felt. They lowered the aura weapons they'd still had raised. At that moment, he released the field.

"Kurama?" Yusuke asked.

"Already done." To Koenma's forces he said, "Look behind you."

They spun around to find nothing. And that's when Kurama tied their hands and feet. Standing in front of them, where they had fallen to the ground, he said, "I gave you the chance to leave. Now… three lessons."

Hiei took over. "Lesson one: never underestimate your enemy. Stealth rarely works against those whose power exceeds your own by such a vast amount. It's doubtful they'd even need to call on their demonic tricks to subdue you." His image flickered once, Kurama winced, and they found the vines on their arms had been cut away.

"Lesson two," Kurama said, "Never turn your back on an adversary. You must remember that not everyone is as attached to his honor as Hiei. Me, for example." They scrambled to their feet, looking for a way out.

"Lesson three," Yusuke chuckled, "As I have said before, intimidation can often win a fight before the first punch is thrown." They froze, realizing that the three demons had just completely torn apart their defenses. Without trying. Yusuke laughed quietly to himself. "Now, what did you want to talk about?"

"Talk…about…?" the captain asked, confused.

"You did want to talk, right? Or are you still intent on fighting us?"

"You mean you're willing to _negotiate_?!"

"Of course. Why wouldn't we be?" Kurama asked this in mock surprise. In all honesty, he, Yusuke, and Hiei were only blowing off steam right now, messing with their heads.

"But your letters…and just now…what was all that?"

"The letters were threats intended to make you stay away. That having failed, don't you think we would have killed you just now if we wanted you dead? Or at least left you tied up?" Kurama pointed it all out as if they were the most obvious things in the world.

"We were sent to bring the younger team back. Koenma didn't seem to have much hope that we'd succeed. He didn't seem to think it likely we'd _survive_."

Kurama's expression hardened. "He was right. You would've had no chance if we'd actually wanted to kill you. And he knew that. But he still sent you." The bitterness in Kurama's voice was evident. Suddenly, his plants sprang to life. The nine underworld agents were once again unable to move. "Lesson four: never trust a single word that falls from an adversary's lips."

* * *

A sudden beeping made Koenma jump. It was from his captain. Or so he thought. He answered it and his sense of relief left him. It was Kurama.

The silver-haired fox demon skipped greetings entirely and said, "Did you really think sending them after us was a wise idea?" His voice was cold and it was apparent that he deeply disapproved of what Koenma had done.

"No," he muttered in response. Then he saw a very shallow cut on Kurama's left cheek. "What happened?"

"Hm?"

"To your cheek?"

Kurama reached up and felt the scratch. "Oh. That was the final farewell of your captain. Quite pathetic, really, if that's all the better he could do."

Koenma's eyes widened. Kurama had just used the words _final farewell_. That could mean only one thing. Before he could ask, however, Kurama said, "Perhaps this will teach you not to send people into situations they cannot even hope to survive." And his face disappeared, leaving Koenma stunned.

* * *

"Now that _that_ unpleasant business has been dealt with," Kurama said, "What did you really want to talk about?"

The special forces team stared at Kurama dumbfounded. He absentmindedly scratched the mark Hiei's sword had made on his face as he said, "Would you be more comfortable if I untied you and we all sat down? Yes, let's do that."

Despite the fact that they could, none of them moved. Kurama looked up to the sky and sighed. "We are not going to harm you, so long as you don't do anything stupid. That lesson was just that—a lesson. You know, character building, realization of mistakes? And I wanted you out of contact with Koenma."

"As we said, it's the new team," someone ventured, "Where are they?"

"Over there, sleeping." Kurama flicked his wrist, indicating the direction he meant.

"But there are only three auras over there. There should be four."

"Well, I haven't been entirely honest with you, I'll admit. I have no idea where Kiyoshi is." Kurama didn't seem worried, but in reality it bothered him that the boy hadn't returned. "He got mad and walked off several hours ago."

"Didn't you think you should follow him?" someone else asked, nervous to be questioning Kurama's judgment.

"He needed some time to himself. And he can take care of himself. I'm assuming you felt two auras, and that is what led you here?" When they nodded, Kurama added, "One of those was Kiyoshi's."

"What about me?" Kiyoshi's voice asked from behind him.

Kurama's hair whipped around as he turned to look at his pupil. The relief in his eyes showed he had been much more worried than he had let on. "Just that one of the aura's was yours," Kurama replied. "Learn anything while you were gone?"

Kiyoshi sat down next to Kurama and said, "I'm not sure. Mostly I just thought about things. I thought about my power and how I can't control it. I thought about how it seemed to have an equal standing with yours. I thought about my mother." He met Kurama's eyes, and an unspoken apology passed from Kurama to the younger boy. Then Kiyoshi continued, "I'm not sure what conclusions you came to but my thoughts are, if that was your full power, a copycat is just that—the genes mimic those of the creator's. So since I can barely control it to any extent now, how could I have expected myself to control it at all ten years ago?" He sighed. "I realized for the first time that my mother's death wasn't my fault. It will take time, but I've decided to let go of that guilt."

"Not what I was expecting, but I think I can live with that," Kurama said after a few moments.

"Who are these guys?" Kiyoshi asked suddenly, indicating the special forces team.

Kurama laughed. "They have been charged with finding you four and taking you back to Koenma."

"What if I don't want to go?"

"Then I really don't think they are in any position to force you." Kurama chuckled, "If you are _truly_ adamant about staying, you could take all nine of them alone, no problem."

"_Kiyoshi_!" Suddenly Kiyoshi was hit from the side as a crying Kasumi tackled him.

He sat up and pulled her up next to him. "What's wrong, Kasumi?" he asked, sounding a bit worried.

"I was so worried about you," she said as tears streamed down her face. "You walked off into Makai, alone and angry. You don't think as clearly when you're angry, Kiyoshi." Her eyes were red and she was crying so hard she began coughing.

Once she stopped coughing, Kiyoshi hugged her and said, "Well, I'm here now. And no matter what Koenma's people do, I'm going to _stay_ right here."

Kasumi smiled through her tears, and leaned against Kiyoshi. "I'm glad."

"Well, you all should probably be going," Yusuke said. "We don't want Koenma to go insane. We just want him to learn a lessen that was lost on him one hundred and fifty years ago."

* * *

Koenma heard a knock at his office door. Looking up he found himself facing his entire special forces team, completely unharmed. His eyes bulged. "What… how… no… Kurama said…" he spluttered.

From behind him Botan pointed out, "Since when has Kurama had an aversion to lying to you, sir? Especially lately?"

"Good point." And then he listened as they told him all of what had happened.

* * *

Kasumi had fallen asleep leaned against Kiyoshi, his right arm still around her shoulders. No one had said a word for the better part of an hour. Yusuke broke that silence asking, "Kiyoshi… what is there between you and Kasumi? I can see you are very close friends, but is there something more there as well?"


	27. Chapter Twenty Three

I apologize for the lack of update. I have had this chapter written for a while, I just haven't had the enthusiasm to type it. Oops. You guys know which characters are mine, and I don't own anyone new this chapter.

This chapter is basically me acquiescing to the inevitable. It's been coming for a while now, without my consent, so I finally decided to help it along.

Now, reviews! Thank you guys!

Kuramasredrose: yep, Kiyoshi's back! I was excited too. And it isn't so much that Yusuke was the only one to notice as he has no tact. And you'll see in this chapter he also has a reason to be interested in it that Kurama and Hiei don't have.

Bhel-Elryss: Yep, no tact. And Kasumi's joy was contagious, I agree with you. And yes, I _love_ cliffhangers!

animegrlsteph: yes… fairly cute… don't really know how the entire story is going to work itself together from here on out though…

Kurama no Miko2003: I liked that bit too. I'm glad you didn't find it unnecessary.

Well, that's everyone! My friend Pirate read this before it was typed, and she loved it. I hope you guys do as well!

* * *

"What is there… between us?" asked Kiyoshi, caught off guard by the question.

Yusuke looked at him and said, "I see the way you hold her to you, as if protecting her. I can see in your eyes that you would do anything to keep her out of harm's way. If you don't remember… I had that once… And if you didn't see how happy she was to have you back here, unharmed, I am going to slap you. Now, I'll repeat the question: what is there between you two?"

Kiyoshi stared Yusuke down, finally asking, "Why do you want to know?"

"She's my…" Yusuke paused, looking slightly uncomfortable.

Kurama filled the silence, grinning. "Dare I say it? Yusuke Urameshi feeling paternal instincts? I never thought I'd see the day. Kiyoshi," he added, "to Yusuke, Kasumi is not only a pupil, but a granddaughter as well. You must remember that."

Kiyoshi nodded, understanding Kurama's meaning. Reluctantly he answered Yusuke's question. "Well, Yusuke, I don't really know. I want us to be more than just friends eventually. And I think she wants it too. But right now, wanting to make that transition in the future is as far as it's gone. We are still nothing more than friends." He sighed, rather regretfully.

"Well, keep in mind, kid," Yusuke threatened, "if you break her heart, it won't just be her father you'll have to answer to. You'll have to answer to me as well."

* * *

Kasumi yawned and sat up. She had been curled up next to Kiyoshi near the fire Hiei had finally let die. She saw Yusuke still asleep and picked up a rock. Aiming carefully, she threw it at him.

But just before it hit his forehead, his hand whipped up and he caught it. "You'll have to do better than that," he muttered sleepily. He hadn't even opened his eyes.

Suddenly something struck Kasumi. "Yusuke, I thought you had a spirit beast? Where is he? I've never seen him."

Yusuke sighed and sat up. "I did. I do. He stays in the human realm with Genkai."

"I never saw him," Kasumi repeated in amazement.

"You wouldn't, would you, if he wanted to hide?" Yusuke snapped. He then jumped up and stalked off.

Kasumi looked around bewildered and Kurama answered her unspoken question. "Pu is a touchy subject for him. Pu hasn't been one hundred percent ever since Keiko died, and he doesn't like seeing or thinking about that."

"But isn't Pu a reflection of Yusuke's soul?" Kasumi asked.

"Exactly."

* * *

Kasumi had been asleep for the conversation between Yusuke and Kiyoshi, so she wasn't aware that she was the reason Kiyoshi couldn't focus on his training. She could see his attention wander but never noticed it was toward her.

And she could only see that much because Kurama had decided, much to Hiei and Akiko's displeasure, that they wouldn't separate today. They spent the first three hours on team training. Then they began moving toward their destination. Whatever _that_ might be.

And, as they moved, Kurama drilled them on tactics. This is where Kiyoshi's lack of concentration became truly evident. He was having trouble working out what should be done. And using logic was Kiyoshi's specialty.

It was obvious Kurama noticed the strange inattentiveness in Kiyoshi. His questions started out normal enough—"You have a castle. It is defended on three sides by a wall and a moat full of acid. The last side is guarded by at least forty watchmen at all times. How do you get in?"—then got progressively stranger as the day wore on. It was obvious, however that they were directed at Kiyoshi, in an attempt to distract him from whatever he was dwelling on. "Your three teammates are captured. They are held in three different rooms. Whom do you rescue first?"

Mostly Kiyoshi just didn't answer. When he did, it was with a distracted look in his eye and he miscalculated several times.

But Kurama had known from the beginning what was distracting him so much. And finally he asked, "What do you do if, in a fair fight, your enemy threatens to kill your girlfriend?"

Kiyoshi answered this one, but it wasn't a response of tactics, which revealed to everyone what was on his mind. And he must be serious about it, if Kiyoshi was having this much trouble concealing it. "Not girlfriend," he muttered barely loud enough for the group to hear, "She doesn't even know I like her."

Kasumi flinched at the thought that a _girl_ was causing this, proving Kiyoshi's point to be true. Kurama just snapped at him, "Fine. He threatens to kill the _girl you like_ then."

It seemed Kiyoshi thought he was having this conversation in his own head, because his response was _not_ one he would have given otherwise. "I tell Kasumi I think I'm in love with her and then I kill him… or the other way around… whichever keeps her safe…"

Kasumi, Yusuke, and Takeshi all stopped dead in their tracks, staring in disbelief as Kiyoshi continued walking. Hiei and Akiko both sighed, knowing this would only cause more delays. Kurama, on the other hand, looked to the heavens and muttered, "Well, that took long enough."

Hearing these words seemed to snap Kiyoshi out of the trance he'd been in all afternoon. He spun around and they saw the last bit of color drain from his cheeks. "Did I—did I say that out—out _loud_?" he stuttered.

Kurama grinned slyly and nodded.

* * *

"Just relax, sir. They'll come back whenever they're ready."

"What if they're never ready? What if Kurama turns them against me?"

"Would he really do that to you, sir?"

"Yes."

* * *

"Why'd you trick me?" Kiyoshi groaned to Kurama.

"Here's a lesson: you must always be on your toes; physically, mentally, emotionally."

"That's just great. Let's go." He stalked off without so much as a single glance in Kasumi's direction.

She ran up behind him and asked, "Was what you said back there true, Kiyoshi?" He ignored her, the only indication that he'd heard her at all being the slight pink tinge that crept over his cheeks. "Kiyoshi?" she said again, her voice sounding slightly hurt.

"We're being followed," Kiyoshi said suddenly.

Those following them had obviously heard his words for, at that moment, they jumped out and began to fight the seven in front of them. There were six of them and they were all very powerful. They seemed to be evenly matched with Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei even. Then the six of them Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei suddenly stopped fighting. Akiko, Kasumi, Kiyoshi, and Takeshi stopped only out of surprise. Then the people they had been fighting suddenly started laughing, along with Yusuke. It even drew a chuckle from Kurama.

"We heard you were in the neighborhood an' we thought it might be fun t' drop by. Ya know, fer old times' sake," the tallest laughed, staggering a bit and smelling strongly of booze.

"How is it that cha keep gettin' stronger, Yusuke? I would have thought you could only improve so much," another added. He was floating about a foot above the ground.

"Not with Kurama training me, y'all should know that," Yusuke responded. He then turned to the youngest people present and introduced everyone, "Kiyoshi, Kasumi, Akiko, Takeshi. Jin, Toya, Link, Chu, Suzuki, Shishiwakamaru."

"Nice t' meet ya," the drunken one called Chu said. He then turned to Kiyoshi and added, "Now I suggest ya answer this little lady's question."

"Lady? I think not." Takeshi muttered. "Ow!" He had been hit by Kasumi, Yusuke, and Chu all at the same time.

Kiyoshi, however, turned redder than before, partly from embarrassment, partly furious that these strangers had heard the entire conversation. "Well?" Suzuki prompted.

When he still didn't say anything Toya—who was emanating an aura eerily similar to Akiko's—said, "Answer the question, Kiyoshi, or we might have to force-feed you truth serum. I'm sure Kurama could fix us up some, if we were to ask."

It was Kasumi who responded to that. "Don't, you guys. If he doesn't want—" but she was cut off by Kiyoshi.

"It's okay, Kasumi. They're right." He sighed upon admitting he was wrong.

"Of course they're right," Hiei muttered, "They've been alive how much longer than you? With how much more life experience?"

Kiyoshi ignored him and continued, dragging his fingers through his ragged hair. "I've liked you since the first day I met you, Kasumi. I think I started falling in love with you sometime between the day in Mizuko's castle and the day I told you about… my mother. But until I learned to control myself, I couldn't ask you out. I couldn't put you at risk." He was about to say something else, but Kasumi had decided it was her turn to interrupt.

"You _idiot_."

"Hm?"

"For all your book-smarts and observational and tactical skills you are still—and probably always will be—a complete and total _moron_."

And, with that, she grabbed his shoulders, pulled him toward her, and kissed him.


	28. Chapter Twenty Four

Okay, I'll come right out and say it: I'm sorry. I am aware it's been almost a month since I last updated (and with that terrible cliff-hanger, too!). If it's any consolation, I posted it and then thought, 'oh crap, what happens next?' and I had no idea. Some of the things that happen in this chapter were a complete surprise for me too.

Anyway, thanks to my reviewers.

Kuramasredrose, animegrlsteph, and Bhel-Elryss: glad you liked it and here's your update!

What the gaah: I can't write romance. Romance just… no. A little bit (such an this story) is okay, but not as the focus. And really, in this story I am finding that it is more of a catalyst to bring all the separate mini-plots together. It's always good to hear that my writing is improving. Thanks for your review!

Now, I still only own those four characters. And, on a sadder note, I can feel this story beginning to wind down… ¡Es horrible! So, as a heads up, there will be one, maybe two, chapters after this, and an epilogue and then the story will be finished. I'm not one for keeping a story going when it's clearly ready to be finished (in other words, I tried that once and it didn't work.) And sorry about all the cutting back and forth from location to location in this chapter; I couldn't help it--it was necessary to bring all the separate little pieces together.

* * *

The kiss was a short one. Kasumi let go of Kiyoshi's shoulders and let her hands fall to her side, surprised at her own actions. She had not made a conscious decision to kiss him. She didn't regret it, but she also knew that if she had contemplated doing it, it never would have happened. She never would have subjected Kiyoshi to what she knew he would view as something to be shared by two people, not viewed by a bunch of strangers.

Sure enough, Kiyoshi stumbled backwards and his face turned the color of fresh strawberries. All this took about a second to take place.

Then Chu made everything worse by saying, "Tha's th' way t' do it!" Kiyoshi proceeded to turn even redder than he had been before, now a shade of red Kasumi wasn't previously aware people could turn. Chu then slapped her on the back in congratulations. When it didn't knock her over he said, "Yer built like yer old man. Used t' be a time I could fight him an' not come out too worse fer the wear. That day passed a long time ago." He sighed.

"It did for all of us, Chu," Toya responded, rather consolingly.

"Feh." Hiei still refused to acknowledge the fact that Yusuke nearly always won fights between them. Except for the bad days. The week leading up to and following Keiko's birthday. And the weeks preceding and tailing the anniversary of her death.

By this point the red had begun to recede from Kiyoshi's cheeks. They had now returned to a slightly more normal shade of pink. He stared into Kasumi's eyes, which hadn't left his face since the fateful moment she had pressed her lips to his without thinking through the possible consequences. "Why?" he asked. "Why'd you have to kiss me? Now it'll be so much harder to avoid giving into the part of me that constantly says it'll be all right if we're together. The part of me that says everything will work out."

"Why can't it work out, Kiyoshi?" Kasumi's words were simple but they struck to the heart of not only Kiyoshi but three other people present. "Why don't you believe you deserve to be happy?"

His next words were filled with rage, not at Kasumi but at himself, "Because in this world nothing ever works out. Something always happens. And I don't want to risk that something being my fault."

"That's the same worn out argument you've been telling everyone to avoid getting close to anyone. Well think about this Kiyoshi—I wouldn't blame you. It would be my choice, not your fault. And you need someone to care about, Kiyoshi. And I am _not_ my grandmother. I won't wait for you forever." Then she turned and walked away, sitting down near the top of a hill, just out of sight. A deep silence filled the space she had been standing as the four people most affected by her words stared after her. Those people were Kiyoshi, Kurama, Yusuke, and, surprisingly, Hiei.

* * *

A deep calm had settled itself over Koenma since the special ops team had returned. This was due to the fact that it was now clear they weren't out for blood, no matter what Kurama said. It was heightened by his sense that something big was going to happen, for the better. And soon.

For her part, Botan was simply relieved he wasn't ready to charge into Makai alone anymore. That could only have ended one of three ways. All three were some form of disaster.

But instead he was carrying out his daily duties with a normalcy Botan hadn't seen since before Kuwabara died.

* * *

Four people stared in the direction Kasumi had disappeared in. Everyone was stunned. Kiyoshi knew she was right. Yet he still couldn't justify doing something he felt would bring her harm.

Yusuke was struck by the words the girl spoke of her grandmother. And she was right. Keiko had spent her life waiting for him to come back, waiting for his infrequent visits. And now he was still running away. Yusuke fell to his knees.

Kurama's eyes went blank. _It wouldn't be your fault_. That's what she had said. That's what Hiei had said. Maybe it _wasn't_ his fault. Maybe there really was nothing he could have done.

Hiei sped off in the opposite direction. You need someone to care about. Feh. If he had five hundred aura points on Yomi's aurameter for every time he'd heard _that_, he'd be more powerful than Yusuke. By a considerable amount. "Damn it!" he shouted at the open air. He did care about someone. Yukina. And he was beginning to feel a strange attachment to Akiko as well, a protectiveness he'd only felt when Yukina was in danger. Caring had brought him nothing but grief. He found himself running down a path he had tread many times as a child. Strange that one of his favorite haunts was so close to one of Kurama's.

At the end of the trail was a single-roomed hut, unfit for human or demon habitation. The roof was falling in and every inch of it was scorched. How many times had he come here in a rage and torched the poor building? How many times had it stubbornly remained standing, against all odds, no matter how long it burned? More times than he really remembered. They all melted together. But this time was different. Either the building felt it had had enough abuse or his rage at being told what to do by a sixteen year old human girl simply trumped all the other times he'd been here, but the building was hit by the first wave of fire and collapsed.

Seeing the building fall somehow broke something in Hiei. He sat down on the smoldering remains, head in hands, and silently admitted defeat to Kasumi's logic.

Later that day, demons living around the area would wonder what had caused the building to fall and what had caused the seemingly unending trail of burnt grass leading up to it.

Hiei returned less than ten minutes after his initial disappearance. A stubborn defiance covered his normally emotionless features. Likewise, shock covered Kiyoshi's, and a blankness covered Kurama's. Yusuke was different. It wasn't just his face.

His entire demeanor had changed. Usually cheerful and strong-spirited, it seemed Kasumi's words had broke something deep inside him. Something that had broken before but been glued or stapled or taped back together. And now, no matter how he tried, he couldn't put it back together again.

* * *

In the human world, Genkai was meditating when she was suddenly distracted by a loud, distraught screeching. She knew what it was but could even begin to imagine a reason for it.

Upon throwing open the door to the room Yusuke always stayed in—what she considered Pu's room—she found the spirit beast wailing at the top of his lungs. She had seen him cry before. She'd heard him make odd sniffling noises. She had seen him fly into a fury that wrecked the whole room. She'd seen him perfectly quiet with a glare in his eyes that was frightening. She'd seen him almost dead on multiple occasions. But never before had she seen the poor creature in this much _agony_. She didn't even want to think about the state Yusuke must be in. Then suddenly the howling stopped. But that made things much, much worse.

Pu flopped over on the floor and didn't move. He simply blinked at the empty wall. It wasn't as if Yusuke was hurt physically. That generally made Pu show a fiery resistance. Never before had he become so… unenergetic. It was as if Yusuke _wished_ he were dead with every fiber of his being. He no longer wanted to live.

Genkai did what any teacher would have done in that situation. She became slightly irrational. And she called her pupil's boss and demanded he take her to Yusuke.

* * *

"Absolutely not."

"You misunderstand me, Koenma," the woman before him said, "I am not asking. I am telling." She may be over two hundred, but she still knew how to get what she wanted.

"Genkai, you know better than anyone that humans don't stand a chance traveling in Makai."

"I have a bet chance than almost anyone else. And you sent three humans in yourself."

Caught up short by this undeniable truth, Koenma sighed. "Fine. I'll send you with an escort. Just tell me why."

"Pu is sick. Sicker now than I've ever seen him."

* * *

"What's the point of rationality?"

Takeshi's question was met with confused stares from every direction. "What cha talkin' about, Takeshi?" Jin asked, still floating in midair.

He answered Jin's question by addressing Kiyoshi. And Kurama. And from there he moved on to addressing Yusuke and Hiei. "Kiyoshi, everything you do has to be a perfectly calculated, rational decision. You never do anything on a whim. Kurama, you too. Nothing irrational. An irrational decision isn't necessarily the _wrong_ decision. Just one that doesn't make much sense; but it could still turn out better than the rational one you would've made. And Yusuke, the past is the past. You can't go back and change it. What do you think Keiko would want you to do? If she put up with you, I kind of doubt she was the kind of person who'd want you to give up. And Hiei, the defiance in your face is really annoying me. Like you don't want to care about anyone and are trying as hard as you can not to. But tell me, how long has it been since you last saw your sister?"

Everyone stared at Takeshi in shock. No one ever spoke to Hiei like that and lived. Then the real surprise came. Hiei didn't do anything. Yusuke looked up from where he was sitting on the ground, shocked by the words. They were so cliché it was almost funny, but he could still feel their truth. Kurama was the first to speak. "Irrationality the… _right_ decision…?" It was said uncertainly, as if it was such a novel idea he had to hear how it sounded.

"Yes." Takeshi responded impatiently, "I've found that sometimes there isn't a reason for things happening. They _don't_ make sense. Not everyone is as calculating as you. So we have to move on when that happens, not go searching for a reason where there is none."

"He's a lot smarter than most people, myself included, ever give himself credit for," Akiko muttered, with obvious reluctance. Toya and Jin nodded in agreement.

They hadn't even realized that Kiyoshi had walked away. He reached the top of the hill and found Kasumi staring into the distance. "Hey," she said.

"Takeshi said some… intelligent things down there." He lowered himself onto the brittle grass next to her. She raised her eyebrows in surprise. "He said the right choice is not always the rational choice. That not everything has a reason. Basically, he told both me and Kurama that we are _over_-analytical. And I realized he was right. That and I'm afraid of losing you. And when it registered that I was just afraid of you walking away, nothing else, your last words sank in."

"It definitely took less time for you to come to that conclusion than I thought it would. And you're taking having your view of a perfectly organized, rational world torn apart pretty well." She shifted a little closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder and he put his arm around her.

* * *

Genkai was attempting to care for Pu while awaiting Master Koenma's envoy. And suddenly he blinked long and slow then pulled himself up from the ground. And Genkai knew from the calm certainty in Pu's eyes that Yusuke had made a decision. This was either very good or very, _very_ bad.

Either someone had talked some sense into him. Or he had made a decision on his own that wasn't well thought-out at all. Knowing Yusuke, Genkai feared the second.

* * *

"Thank you, Takeshi," Yusuke said. Akiko thought he looked different, but she couldn't pin down what it was. Kurama could. Yusuke had, after ninety years, resolved to continue _living_. Not the half-life that was a mockery of what he was capable of, which he had been living since Keiko died. He had decided to actually live.

That's when Kurama realized what he needed to do. If Yusuke could move on, so could he. God only knew how important Keiko had been to Yusuke. But Kurama had had a hundred and fifty years to move on and Yusuke had had ninety. And there was no question that the bond between Keiko and Yusuke had been stronger than that between a teacher and a pupil, or even between two friends. If Yusuke could do it, Kurama could do it.

Yusuke saw the decision in his eyes and smiled.

* * *

In a sudden flash of movement, Pu grabbed Genkai and placed her on his back. He then flew out of the house, past Koenma's people and somehow forced his way into the demon plane.

Out of nowhere Genkai appeared, sitting on Pu's back. Seeing Yusuke, alive and well, filled her with relief. "You gave me quite a fright," she called out, "but you're better now, I take it."

"Genkai!" Yusuke shouted, "Yeah, I'm better than I've been in nearly a century. Pu is too, I see."

Genkai nodded, "Where are Kiyoshi and Kasumi?"

"Over th' hill," Chu laughed, staggering a bit, "We got another Yusuke an' Keiko on our hands."

Then Jin's bewildered voice rang out asking a question with so blunt a choice of words, everyone else just stopped. "Anyone else find it odd tha' Kuwabara's death was what set off you three disappearin' an dat it's his sister's descendent that makes ya realize your mistakes?"


	29. Chapter Twenty Five

Sorry for the wait, lots going on and writer's block. The two combined are gonna kill me. You know who I own, and on with the chapter. Sorry it's kind of short.

Thanks to animegrlsteph for her review.

Kuramasredrose: no, he's not been reincarnated as anyone. just similarities of personality.

Bhel-Elryss: Glad you enjoyed the chapter so much. Hope you enjoy this one too!

kusowatashiainingen: glad you have enjoyed reading my story. I worked hard to 'write it intelligently' as you put it, and I'm glad you noticed. :)

I wrote this chapter last night and I just reread it and don't remember writing half of it so... proof that I don't actually write these stories? I think so.

* * *

Kurama blinked once. "All I know is that Koenma definitely didn't plan this."

"Uhhh," Chu moaned and collapsed.

"Mah word," Jin said in mock surprised as Toya snorted. "Ah am of the opinion that it'd be best if we'd be goin'."

Link walked over to Chu and nudged his head with a foot. "Wow! Yusuke sure gets to him! We felt your aura and he started drinking harder than he has in a long time. Actually, I don't think I've ever seen him drink that hard. And that's saying something, considering. He's so drunk he passed out. That's never happened before!" Link laughed.

There was a chorus of goodbyes, Shishiwakamaru glaring at either Yusuke or Genkai the entire time. Then they walked away. Well, most of them walked; Jin sort of floated and Chu was dragged behind.

Genkai then turned to the remaining people and said to Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei, "You all finally learned something then? I never thought I'd see the day. Let's go collect Kasumi and Kiyoshi, then visit Yukina, shall we?"

* * *

"Repeat that."

"We arrived at Genkai's temple, and a spirit beast—most likely Urameshi's—flew out, carrying Genkai, and forced a portal to open between the human world and the demon plane. It closed before we could follow."

"Repeat that."

"I just did…"

Koenma was flabbergasted. It was one thing for an S-class demon to force his way through the force field, or to trick his way past it. An underworld beast doing so on his own… that, on the other hand, was unheard of. "Then again," he muttered to himself, "since when has Yusuke ever done anything by-the-book?"

"What, sir?"

"Oh, nothing…"

* * *

"Excuse me?" Hiei asked.

"We're visiting Yukina." Genkai repeated. "Keep in mind that of the three of you, Hiei, you are the only one who still has the option of visiting your family."

Yusuke looked down at the ground, saddened by her words. Kurama nodded in agreement. Hiei glared a second longer before realizing that, at this point, he really didn't have a choice. The demons on either side of him were going to drag him to see Yukina if it became necessary. "Fine." He muttered.

They walked over the hill and found Kiyoshi and Kasumi not kissing as they had expected. Of course they should have known that with Kasumi, nothing would be normal. They were arm wrestling. Kasumi was winning. But you had to give it to Kiyoshi that he was putting up a good fight. After all, Kasumi was unnaturally muscular for a girl, and she was wrestling with her dominant arm. He wasn't.

They heard what was going on and immediately decided to go with Genkai and the others. But before they left Takeshi was struck by a sudden thought. "Wait. Five of us are guys. Will we even be allowed on their floating castle or whatever it is?"

"Like they could stop us," Yusuke muttered.

"And technically, Hiei is one of them. He even has the ice to prove it," Kurama added, waiting for someone other than himself and Kiyoshi to realize the obvious. Akiko just shook her head in disbelief.

"Takeshi," Genkai said gently, "We have an escort from one of the leaders of the Ice Maiden Defense Force. We'll have no problem getting in."

"Who—oh."

* * *

Arriving at the glacial island, they received a lot of stares. And the phrase 'a lot' means a multitude, a huge amount, every eye turned toward them. But they hadn't really expected anything different. After all, how often did these women see one male, much less five? And on top of that they were accompanied by an underworld beast. Conspicuous much?

Three women in particular stared at them. The Doyenne had singled out two of them. Hiei and Akiko. The child had survived. Not only survived, he had thrived. And her, the little traitor, bringing men to their secret home, the one place they had been guaranteed security. Another was the Maiden in charge of all the defense forces, their general if you will, second in command only to the Doyenne. She had picked Akiko for her position because the girl had strength, and was not afraid to make decisions. It now seemed she had taken that too far. The last was an Ice Maiden by the name of Rui. Hiei recognized her immediately, but did not voice or give any other sign of that recognition.

A different emotion covered the face of each of them.

For the Doyenne it was anger. How dare he return here. And how dare she lead them. He had no business being here; he did not belong and never would. And the girl had endangered them all by bringing him there.

For the general it was a deep-rooted sense of frustration and disappointment. The girl had shown so much promise. But after this she would necessarily be stripped of her title. The ability to make decisions was an important skill most of the women in the glacial country lacked, but this nineteen year old had taken it too far. The frustration was mingled with disappointment because she truly felt that one bad decision should not make or break a career. But a decision of this magnitude…

For Rui, it was fear. And sadness. She ran forward and fell at Hiei's feet. "My atonement," she whispered. He raised his eyebrows.

"I came back long ago. I just watched from the shadows and no one felt my presence. I lost all lust for revenge on that visit. Get up, Rui. It is not your fault." She looked up at him and a jewel fell to the ground. "She's content. I won't disturb her final rest by killing her best friend." He offered her a hand and pulled her up from the ground.

The Doyenne's jaw dropped. In all her long, long life, this she had never seen, nor expected. Akiko stepped forth. "Doyenne, where is my grandmother? The sooner we see her, the sooner we can leave."

"In her chambers…" her voice was slightly dazed.

* * *

"Yukina?"

The woman turned and saw him standing in the door. She jumped up and flew to him. They embraced and she stepped back. "A hundred and fifty years is a long time, Hiei."

"It wasn't just me. It took all three of us that long to… see the light."

"Are Yusuke and Kurama here too?"

"And Genkai. And Koenma's new team."

She hugged him again.

* * *

A few days later…

"Well you guys," Genkai said, "I think we should go. I do believe some of you didn't notify your parents where you were going roughly four and a half months ago. And most people don't have parents as complacent as Yusuke did."

"Ain't that the truth," Takeshi muttered. "I survived all this just so I can be killed and buried within three seconds of walking through my front door."

Everything that happened in the human world really isn't all that significant in the grand scheme of things. But here's what happened…

Takeshi walked inside. His mother saw him, cried for five minutes, then grounded him for life. He promptly walked out. It's not like he wasn't grounded when he disappeared for training the first time. Listening to his mother was not his strong suit.

Kasumi walked inside to find her mother not home. She waited a while, and when her mother showed up the only response she got was, "Spirit world stuff? That's what I thought. Glad you're safe. Let me know next time you're going to leave." Kasumi turned to Kiyoshi and said, "Well, that was easy."

Kiyoshi walked into his house. Kasumi accompanied him. His father was apparently unconcerned that his teenage son had been missing for more than four months, his only response being, "What the _hell_ is that—this—what's going on Kiyoshi?!" Kiyoshi went on to explain everything—_everything_—only to finish and have his dad say, "What the hell are you talking about? Maybe I should have said _who_. Do you know how it looks for you to disappear for four months then show up back home with a girl? Not good, Kiyoshi!"

"Thanks for your concern, Dad. I think I can handle it," Kiyoshi replied weakly. His dad could care less that he had just been in a fight for his life, and that he now had a poisonous purple plant growing out of his arm. No, none of that was a problem. Not a problem at all. But him showing up with _Kasumi_. He supposed he shouldn't have suspected anything different.

* * *

Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei spent a few days putting together a portal. To Reikai. They stepped through it to be met by a very shocked Koenma and Botan. "But… wait… no," was all Koenma could get out. Botan didn't even try to speak.

"We finally realized that spending all our time running from you was a waste of our lives. We could be doing something much more productive," Kurama explained.

Genkai snorted, "In other words, Takeshi forced them to see that what they were doing was stupid. It had nothing to do with what they actually would have done on their own. But you've got new teachers for your students. Maybe ones who aren't as level-headed as me—Kurama being the exception—but ones who understand their pupils' abilities better."

"Wait… what?"

Hiei rolled his eyes. "Yusuke and Kurama decided to work for you again. I have nothing better to do with my time. We can also teach these four."

"Oh…" Then something seemed to register with Koenma. "But Genkai, do you mean…?"

"Koenma, I was ready to leave the human world a hundred and fifty years ago. I have served my purpose. I don't need to extend my stay any longer."

He nodded. "Okay. I understand."

A bittersweet moment, but all for the best.


	30. Epilogue

Alas, we have reached the epilogue. A sad, sad day. But all good things must come to an end, I suppose. I only own those same four. And coming soon (in theory) is my new story FATE, which you guys might want to check out (there's a little bit of romance but... well it's complicated. The storyline focuses on Fate trying to get Hieiwith an OCbut the actual romantic side of things won't be overpowering). Wow, that was off-topic.

The epilogue is dedicated to Kuramasredredrose, animegrlsteph, Bhel-Elryss, what the gaaah, Kuramano Miko2003, Silver Spirit Fox, Amethystnight88, Chibi Botan, Anaea, featherfun, darkryubaby, GjGgirl009, Shinobi Mi-chan, Twillightfairy, Takara Taji, Kaiser Bakura, Darkness is My Savior, Kaokitty2, HieiHeeroRikuSesshoumaruSeto, kurama1sauske1, ShiroDragon7, RoTw, and Darkeiko. In other words, anyone who has reviewed this story. Thanks so much for all the support you guys! Thanks to all the people who added this story to their story alert/favorites or me to their author alert/favorites.

Kuramasredredrose: I'm glad you liked Kiyoshi'sdad's reaction. I liked it but wasn't sure how everyone else would feel about it. Thanks again for all your support.

* * *

Report ID: zyvac46893zulr  
Filed By: King Enma Jr.  
Time: 1:52 p.m.  
Date: September 19, 2163

Report Summary: Reikai Tentaimission. Three missing persons located. One death.

Notes: The death is unrelated to the mission. Master Genkaidecided long ago that after training my next team she would leave this life. It does, however, add a bittersweet taste to the conclusion of this mission.

I sent my four newest employees on a mission to capture a demon. It turned out this demon was actually _demons_, in the plural. And those demons were Yusuke, Hiei, and Kurama. My new team disappeared for a while, stubbornly disregarding my orders. In the end, they found the three who had been missing for a hundred and fifty three years. These three taught them new techniques. My new team convinced the old team that they weren't living their life to the fullest. Yusuke, Hiei, and Kuramareturned to my employment after a short trip to the glacial country to visit Yukina. In addition, Takeshi, Kasumi, Kiyoshi, and Akikoalso remain in my employ.

As a side effect of this mission two of Kurama'slairs were located and infiltrated. Thousands of artifacts were recovered, some of which were never even reported missing. In addition, the demon Mizuko(class A, snake demon, power hungry, insane) was killed. She was a danger to anyone she came in contact with. I consider her death the elimination of a threat.

Finally, they returned and Genkai told me she wished to end her stay in the human realm. She told me she was ready to move on to her final rest. That she had been ready to move on for a long time. I granted her request.

This is my account based on what I've heard and seen or been told by those involved.

* * *

CASE CLOSED

* * *

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End file.
